The Magic Twins
by Shing Ren
Summary: What if Shin in his past life was not alone in the accident... Disclaimer: I don't own Kenja no Mago
1. Chapter 0

The Magic Twins Prologue: Fates Intertwined

On a gloomy dark night, there was a lone purple-haired corporate slave who was on his way walking home from his mundane chore.

However, he bumped into another man, "I'm sorry", the worker replied until he stopped only to notice that the man seemed familiar.

"Wait, i remember you! We were classmates once in Todai! Man, long time no see, how are you doin'?" replies the familiar orchid-haired person.

"Ah, about that...well..." he answers with his face slightly downcast then gets patted on the shoulder.

"Tell you what, why don't we check at my place, on the hou— whoa!" he stops to dodge with his friend from a drunk cyclist, to only get run over by Truck-kun.

Next Location: Unknown Forest

'I smell blood, coming from here,' thought a certain Wise Man, strolling in the forest.

He kept following the scent of blood through the rain for moments of careful stepping in the muddy terrain until he stumbles upon a wrecked wagon with dismembered men and women.

"Heavens! Most likely the works of Demons! Such tragedy and misfortune befallen on these innocent folks. I pity and mourn for them, but the least I can do is give them proper buria—", he pauses to hear loud wailings coming from inside the wagon.

"Cries of a child! A child lives!" he exclaims and searches to be shocked that there is not only one, but two babies crying in the wagon.

"Oh my, they are both injured. Here," he carries the twins then casts a healing spell that comforts them and lulls them to sleep, slowly with the sun dawning over the drenched forest.

"Ahhh, it must be fate it is," says the Wise Old Man staring at the slightly cloud-crowded sky.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 1

The Magic Twins Ch. 1: Heirs of Sorcery and Chivalry

Time skip: 8 years later since that Demon incident

Next Location: In the Forest not far from the Household of the Magi and Guru

Shin's Perspective:

'Hehehe,' he thought from spotting a small coop of wild chickens then uses "Wind Blade" to hunt them and a nearby boar before using "Dimensional Storage" to carry them home.

'My name is Shin Wolford. I have memories of my past life. The life of living in a world called Earth in a country called. Japan with my colleague who suffered the same death me, although I can't quite remember how we died.' He goes to home to drop today's spoils.

"Oh ho, what a huge bounty! Nicely done my child, chickens and a boar. Your brother and granny can make a great feast with these," said the Wise Man.

"Thanks! I also made sure not to hunt too much to keep balance in the forest," he replied gaining his agreeing nod.

'My grandpa is named Merlin Wolford, who found me and my friend–who became my brother–and adopted us into his home found deep in the forest hills, we owe him our lives.'

'The granny teaching my brother Chin in the garden is Melida Bowen, she is really strict, but she can be loving and caring when she isn't.'

'The muscular man in the back is Uncle Michel, and man he is good with swords.' "Hey Shin! It's time for your session!" yells Michel. "Oh man, okay coming!"

Chin's Perspective:

"Yes Granny, I understand, you can count on me!" says Chin saluting his chest.

"Alright then, now, just try not to break anything, but if anything happens, get my attention. Don't ask that old oaf to help.," says Melida as she heads into the house to scrounge for ingredients to prepare lunch.

"Yes Granny!" says Chin. 'I like this life, much better than living in the city, and who knew we'd reincarnate as brothers now huh,' thought Chin as he uses "Light Bubble Bullet" for washing the clothes and blankets hanging on the fences and clothesline to leave them to dry. 'Man, chant-less magic is awesome! Even better than how those anime dudes that just yell them out...,' he thought.

"At least you do the less dangerous tasks here. Seems better keeping it that way," remarks Melida, giving Chin mixed feelings of embarrassment and relief before going to Merlin and Shin, nagging them for whatever done is done.

"Yes, now to practice," says Chin as he gets his staff, made from a smoothened flexible broom stick, which he enchanted to be able to extend or shorten its length in how he wants it and to become indestructible, and recollects his muscle memory from his past life then practices his arts of self defense with the staff.

"Chin sure has peculiar yet skillful tastes, somewhat hard to believe you guys are actual twins, hahaha!" jesters Michel while training Shin with the sword in the training grounds.

"I dunno, maybe twins of different mothers, hehe," replies Shin. 'Can't obviously tell him that we are both from a different world of course, it will complicate things,' thought Shin

"Don't sweat it, your brother will get his turn in a bit after you, en garde!" answered Michel as he tries to charge at a half-panicked Shin who is following his pacing.

Time skip: 2 years later in the forest

"Demon Hunting?" asked the twins.

"Yes. Shin, Chin, now that the both of you are at the age of ten, it is time to experience Demons firsthand through combat," answered Merlin.

"Magical power permeates through all living creatures that reap its benefits, my boys. However, those creatures that fail to control it result to them destroying and killing anything indiscriminately. That's what a Demon is, and people too, are no exception," says Merlin with stern eyes.

"Long ago, a human turned into a Demon, causing nearly an entire nation to crumble," says Merlin.

"But you rescued them right?" asked Shin. "Yeah! You're a legend! A hero with Grandma Melida!" exclaims Chin.

"Hohoho, now then, let's get started shall we? First, let's find a demon," says Merlin.

"How though?" asked Shin.

Suddenly, an aura of mana covers Merlin, "by thinly spreading out your magic power around you, if you contact another magic power, you will feel it. All creatures have magic power, so you can be able to quickly tell what it is and where. This is called "search magic"," says Merlin.

"Although to some extent, it may be difficult to do unless you can control your magic proper–," pauses to see both Shin and Chin channeling their magic power over wide areas, "–ly...? Amazing...! To easily pull this off on first trials, nicely done!" says Merlin.

"Wow! Grandpa! I can see everything!" exclaims Shin.

"I can see Grandma Melida making lunch! Oh uh, she sensed me," says Chin.

"Wait, I sense something wrong, did you feel it Chin?" says Shin.

"Me too, it gives me chills," says Chin.

"Thats a Demon's magic power the two of you sensed," says Merlin.

"The worse news is that there seems to be more than one giving off a bad feeling, at the forest to the west," replies Chin.

"Then what are the two of you waiting for? Get going!" exclaims Merlin as they all head toward the location of the Demons.

"Whoa a Red Grizzly! Two of them!" exclaims Shin.

"You take front! I take behind!" yells Chin as he takes out his enchanted staff that immediately extended with his magic power to use to strike the face of one of the Red Grizzly away from the other before chasing it down fast with Jet Boots.

Shin held his ground against the other strong Red Grizzly and dodges every one of its attacks with the help of his magic and Jet Boots.

On the other hand, Chin is dazing the Red Grizzly with strikes from his staff and "Water Bomb"; and parries its attacks with his staff, which has an enchantment called "Absolute Durability".

Finally, the battles ended with Shin slicing the Red Grizzly's head clean off and with Chin breaking the neck and skull of the other Red Grizzly, killing the both of them.

"Wh-wha-what!? How are, what are, they are actually doing well, and what in the world are those symbols on their equipment!?" exclaims Merlin.

"We didn't mess up right? Grandpa?" asks Chin.

"Oh sorry, spaced out for a moment. Far from that actually, and it couldn't have been much more better than how I had hoped for. But I must ask what are the enchantments that the both of added to your sword, staff, and boots? asked Merlin, getting embarrassed and nervous looks from Shin and Chin.

Time skip: After getting the remains to loot and returning to the cabin...

"What!? They defeated Demons on their own!? And they're both Grizzlies!?" exclaims Michel.

"Yes, I didn't even have the chance to assist both of them," answered Merlin.

"Good grief, not only do they learn magic at an extraordinary pace, but they can keep up with Michel's sword and enchant objects with the original tongue. Just makes it conceivable that they are both truly from another world," answers Melida.

"Well, those don't bother me. They still look up to me as their "grandfather", and adore me as I with them. Even I like to have those boys as my grandsons,"says Merlin.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm listening to the man once known as the Lord of Destruction. Be grateful that only one of them would be the next one," says Melida.

"Please don't remind me of the past," says Merlin getting embarrassed.

"Haha, and now they call ya a Wise Man," says Michel also shaming him.

"I too adore the boys as much as you do Merlin. I may not be around all the time, but I too think of them as my grandsons," says Melida, leaving Merlin in thought.

Time skip: The Next Morning...

Next Location: Training Grounds

"That's enough for today!" yells Michel, making Shin and Chin pant as they are exhausted from sword-fight training.

"I feel...better with staves!" yells Chin as he lies on his face. "Haaah, so...tiring!" yells Shin.

"Oh! Done training already?" asks Merlin.

"He's too hard on us lately!" exclaimed the twins getting a loud laugh from Michel.

"And still last to live. Anyhow, Shin, Chin, let's talk for a moment," says Merlin.

Next Location: Tree beside a hill-cliff

"Wait, we're not your grandsons...?" asked Shin.

"Afraid so, my boys. The truth is, I found the both of you in a broken wagon that could've been destroyed by Demons, or by those Grizzlies back then. Both of your parents are both killed in the incident, I'm sorry, but then I heard your cries. It must be fate that we have taken the both of you in. And we have been caring for you ever since, although I'm still sorry to say that we are not related by blood, my children," replied Merlin.

"Actually Gramps, we already know, but we don't mind that anyway," says Chin.

"We don't even have anything to remember our parents, but have you anyways!" exclaims Shin.

"Yeah, I mean you saved our lives by taking us in. Then we get to meet you, Grandma Melida, Uncle Michel, and everyone because of the both of you!" answered Shin, making Merlin flustered as his response.

"So we are really glad to be your grandsons!" exclaims the both of them.

"Ngh...ngh...nghwaaaaahhh!" cries fervently Merlin from these remarks. "I hab bery great grandsons!" yells Merlin.

"Um, Gramps, you're embarrassing us. But thank you, Grandpa," replied the twins.

Time skip: 5 years later

"Ahem, everyone, the grandsons of our heroes Merlin and Melida, from this day on, have just turned 15 and reached manhood. So, to celebrate Shin and Chin's 15th years and reaching manhood, cheers!" exclaims a man named Diseum that roused all to follow.

"To think those boys would become men so fast, I just can't believe it," commented Melida.

"It happened so fast," continues Merlin.

"Anyway, Shin, Chin, what would the both of you like to do, now that you're both full-fledged adults, is there anything you love doing?" asked Diseum.

"Hmmm, I have never left the forest before, so I plan to visit a town," answers Shin.

"I plan to see if I can study things from somewhere else," says Chin.

"Then what?" asks Diseum, getting confused or clueless looks from them.

"After doing them, what will you two do?" asks another man named Siegfried.

"Seeing you two are able to individually fight Sir Michel, the royal order would like to recruit you two, or work to be Demon Hunters," answers a woman named Christina.

"Thanks, but no thanks, I'm not really a soldier or hunter in my own eyes, sorry," says Chin.

"Demon Hunters, what are they?" asks Shin.

"They are hired by the Demon Hunter's Society, a guild that gives rewards for hunting Demons," says a stout man named Tom Haag.

"Seriously, you don't know those either?" asks Siegfried.

"Demon hunting huh...I like making tools than fighting though," thought Chin.

"You can earn a living through that too, and maybe score a lady to support you," says Siegfried.

"Only you would do that," says Christina angering Siegfried.

"What!?" asks the angry Siegfried. "Am I wrong!?" asks the rebelling Christina.

"Please calm down," says Chin.

"So it's like a job right? To get money?" asks Shin. "Cool!" says Chin.

"Wait, did any of you two ever gone shopping?" asks the hesitant Tom.

"Nope," says Chin. "Never, Grandpa was handling the money," says Shin.

"Hey Merlin, did you just...," asks Melida, shocking the whole party.

"Oops! I have forgotten to teach them common practices and their applications anywhere to them," says the embarrassed and joking Merlin, shocking the whole cabin.

"Come to think of it, we learned nothing else aside from magic, combat and survival right?" says Shin.

"Does this mean the forest life is for us?" asks the now depressed Chin.

"Don't worry, it'll work out," says Merlin.

Next Location: The Magic Training Ground, The Wilderness through Shin's Gate

"Whoa, here in the blink of an eye, did we teleport?" asks Diseum.

"This is one of Shin's original magic," answers Merlin.

"A spell like this like far greater wisdom in this world," says Tom.

"Why are we here Merlin?" asks Melida.

"Any reason why?" asks Michel.

"To avoid great collateral damage, we use this place. Watch, Shin, use that one spell as if it were an entrance exam?" commands Merlin.

"I can clean up his mess if it goes overboard," says Chin, slightly giving the others some chills

"Yes, now then," says Shin. 'Visualize burning, a flashpoint is created, and when oxygen is added, it induces combustion.'

"Pale Blue flames!? I never seen such!" says Siegfried.

'Take a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen and encase it within a partition of air, and at the moment of impact, ignite it from the flashpoint!' as Shin throws a pale blue fireball which made a huge explosion slightly equal to the power of a minor portion of power of a nuclear bomb.

"How did I d–," sees everyone behind a random waterfall for a barrier.

"Chin, that was not really necessary, but good work!" says Merlin.

"Seems that Shin forgot to put out the fire," says Chin, shooting the "Water Fall Barrier" into the sky over the crevice, 'Now, evaporate the water in the sky then contain sunlight to condense the clouds before letting its moisture drop', slowly makes the clouds rain water over the fire in the crevice. "Whew!" says Chin.

"Wh-wha-what!? Such powers!?" exclaims Melida and the others.

"Merlin, why didn't you teach that boy prudence like Chin!? Huh!?" nags Melida while shaking Merlin.

"But he soaks up everything I taught him and I can't help but be proud and see what he could do, that's all!" replies Merlin.

"Grandma–," says Shin. "Don't think you're off the hook too!" nags Melida. "As for you!" yelling at Chin, sneaking away with Shin's Gate. "Yes Granny?," he asks nervously.

"I'm telling you to help your brother restraint, something Merlin won't do, understand!" nags Melida.

"No way!" exclaims Chin pinned to a corner by Melida.

Next Location: The Wise Man's Cabin

"I'm sure about sending the both of them into he world, with the immense powers they both possess," says Merlin.

"Not to mention the fighting skills that Michel trained them in. They alone can be a force to reckoned with among nations and an amazing asset as well," continues Christina.

"Does spark conflicts," says Michel.

"Is having this much power that bad?" asks Shin.

"Master Merlin, their powers are beyond any other among even the Elite classes. Nations would fight to have them on their side, especially since they were studying under you two and Michel," says Diseum.

"On top of that, out of this forest, they're complete dunces that know little of this world," comments Tom depressing Shin and Chin.

"And with them in society, it will spell disaster and catastrophe. It goes without saying that the empire will expand its military forces with them on their side," says Diseum, further shaming the adolescent twins.

"That is true...," says Merlin.

"Which is why I have an idea: how about you enroll both Shin and Chin to the Magic Academy?" suggests Diseum.

"Is it to assume the both of them into your own country?" glares Merlin.

"I swear not to exploit the both of them into military use. I think of them as my nephews and family myself, so I don't wish to get them involved in or country's disputes and affairs," assures Diseum.

"Magic academy?" asks both Shin and Chin.

"It is an institution that educates magic to our students that have exceptional magical abilities in my kingdom, based in the royal capital. Go there to see how far you two can go," explains Diseum.

'Does this mean we "are of the scale"?' thought both Shin and Chin.

"Plus, since you only have each other's company at this age, don't you think this is a good opportunity for you to make new friends and meet new people?" explains Diseum.

"That is also true...what do you think? Shin? Chin?," asks Merlin.

"Sounds nice, I'd like to try going to school!" says Shin. "Could be a good chance to hone my knowledge and discover newer things," continues Chin.

"Then I shall make some arrangements with the school. The classes are arranged to your aptitude based on your entrance exams so both of you will take one of those. Also, the academy is under no influence to the nobility so you will be counted neutral under the circumstances. However, it also means I can't show favorites as it is based on your merits," says Diseum.

"Okay wait, when you meant "your nation", Uncle Dis, does that mean you're–," clarifies Chin.

"Yes, Chin I am the ruler and king of Earlsheid: Diseum von Earlsheid," says Diseum.

"K-k-ki-King!?" exclaim both Shin and Chin. "Uncle Michel, how about you!?"

"Oh, I'm retired, but I used to be knight commander of the Earlsheid's royal order" says Michel.

"Knight Commander!?" exclaims the awed Shin and shocked Chin.

"I am the magician escort in the courts magic division of the Earlsheid Royal Family," says Siegfried.

"I am the knight escort of His Highness in the order of the Earlsheid royal family," says Christina.

"What!?" yells Shin.

"I can tell that big sis Christina is a knight, but hardly with Siegfried," says Chin.

"What!? Siegfried dumbfounded. "Hehe, even they thought so," says Christina. "Whatcha' say!?" asked Siegfried furiously. "Huh!?" angrily replies Christina.

'Hey hey, what gives!?' retorts Shin hysterically. 'Why many people all in one place!?' retorts Chin.

"Didn't tell them didn't you...?" asked Melida.

"Well...," says Merlin.

"Um, why would the king himself be calling on Gramps?" asked Shin.

"I believe the both of you know the tale of how your grandfather Merlin took down a demonized human. Well, I also joined the subjugation squad when I was your age that time, but we were utterly annihilated in the battle. I was close to Death's Door in front of the Demon, until both Merlin and Melida have arrived. Bewitchingly and ferociously slain the Demon, thus saving Earlsheid and remembered as heroes," explained Diseum.

"Bewitchingly?" asked Chin. "Ferociously?" asked Shin.

"Youthful excess," replied Merlin. "I haven't lost my looks yet have I?" Melida retorts.

"We have been close friends since then, and I've sometimes come by so that I have someone to bellyache to," replied Diseum.

"Oh, wait, bellyache?" retorted Chin.

"Hahaha, you two just learned I'm a king, yet still treated me same as always," commented Diseum.

"Sorry," replied the both of them.

"No, keep that always, you're the only ones that I can have a normal conversation with, hahaha!" says Diseum.

"Whoa! So Gramps and Granny were in a party together once!" exclaimed Chin, unknowingly making Merlin and Melida blush.

"Oh didn't you know, both of them were once a married couple," Christina pointed out.

"What? Huh? Seriously?!" yelled both Shin and Chin.

Time skip: Half a month later...

Next Location: In a carriage going to Earlsheid...

"We're finally exploring outside our home," says Chin looking at the window.

"Hey Gramps, how big is your house in the kingdom?" asked Shin.

"I don't quite remember since it was given by the kingdom, but I bet it is big," Merlin says.

"Would've been easy to move around using other-dimensional space

"Thank you and sorry again Granny, that you had to come live with us, Chin apologizes.

"Bah! How could I, leaving you to this lousy oaf of a teacher to you, and besides, I'm keeping a close eye on the two of you complementing each others' strengths and weaknesses," explained Melida, getting a spout from Merlin.

"Seems like we're near," says Chin looking out at the window.

Next Location: Entrance in the Capital of Earlshied...

"Halt, may you please identify yourselves," says the guard.

"Will these do," says both Merlin and Melida showing their ID cards.

"Ghh, Master Merlin the Wise Man and Mistress Melida the Guru!?" exclaimed the guard.

"What!? The real Wise Man!? The Guru, here!?" yelled the people heading towards their carriage.

"Please hurry, we don't have much time at the moment," asked Merlin.

"Ah yes, but who are these two young masters with you?" asked the guard.

"Shin Wolford and Chin Bowen, our grandsons," answered Merlin.

"Masters Shin and Chin!?" exclaimed the guard, embarrassing the twins.

Next Location: At the manor of the Magi and the Guru...

"Bigger than how I thought it would be...," says Shin. "Yup," agreed Chin, both entering house, greeted by the maids, butlers, and chefs.

" I am Steve the head butler," "I am Marika the head maid," "I am Koller the head chef, we are pleased to be of service!" says the trio.

"Hey, what's with this VIP treatment?" asked Shin astonished.

"Most likely appointed by the king," replied Merlin. "Now I remember why we dread coming back here," Melida says.

"Shin, Chin, why don't you two check around town while we handle things here," Merlin suggests.

"Sounds perfect, what do you think?" asked Shin. "Let's do it," Chin agrees.

Next Location: In the streets...

Shin's perspective:

"My first time shopping, neat," says Shin, chomping on an apple while walking in a separate route as Chin is in another route, until seeing a little struggle in an alley.

"Cut it out already!" shouted a feminine voice.

"Oh, scary. Come on with us, have some fun," says one rogue.

"Hey, those guys bothering you?" asked Shin.

"Yes! Terribly!" says a feminine voice.

"Hey, fancy a champion of justice? We're Demon Hunters you see, we protect the women and citizens here," two of the rogues say.

"Hunting Demons are for justice, but hunting women are just villainous," Shin says sarcastically.

"What was that!? Die!?" says two of the rogues only to get thrown to to the ground by Shin using "Strengthening Magic".

"You'll pay for tha–," says the slammed rogue by Chin who landed on top of him. "Am I a tad too late?" asked Chin.

"Not at all," answered Shin, not noticing the rogue about to backstab Shin with a knife.

Chin used his enchanted wooden baton to swiftly extend and thrust the aperture of the rogue's chest, causing him to foam from his mouth on the floor. "Gotcha," says Chin. "Thanks," says Shin.

"Thanks for the save!" says the pretty redhead girl.

"U-um, thank you for saving us," replies a cute cyan-head girl.

"Nuh! So cute!" exclaimed Shin staring at the cyan-haired girl.

"So beautiful!" exclaimed Chin staring at the redhead girl.

–To Be Continued–


	3. Chapter 2

The Magic Twins Ch. 2: Newfound Fates and Friends

Next Location: At the Main Street café...

"Thanks again back there. Sorry for the late introductions: my name is Maria, Maria von Messina, this girl here is," "Sizilien, von Klode," answered the two girls.

"I'm Shin," Shin says. "And I'm Chin," Chin says.

"Seriously, if we could've used magic earlier, we would've beaten them up back there," says Maria.

"Magic, are you students from the Magic Academy?" asked Chin.

"Ye–well, enrolling there anyway, once we pass the entrance exams together," Maria replies.

"Wow, us too!" exclaimed Shin.

"Really!?" asked Sizilien excitingly. "Magicians with those moves, hardly to believe you know?" retorted Maria, embarrassing the twins.

"Could've sworn you were students from the Knight Academy though. But good luck, 'cause I'm aiming to reach the top score," bragged Maria.

"Well, thanks?" says Chin.

"Heh, not so competitive are ya," Maria says.

"I'm not really the aggressive type though, don't worry," Chin assures, making Maria pout for a moment.

"Well, lets do our best," Shin says giving his hand to Sizilien. "Huh!? Um, uh," Sizilien stutters.

"Hoh, what's the matter Sizilien?" Maria asks. "N-n-nothing at all. Let's do our best, Shin," says the blushing Sizilien.

"So which middle school did you two come from," asked Maria. "Oh, we just arrived at the capital," Chin says.

"Oh! Did you hear then that the Wise Man and the Guru just recently returned to the capital?!" Maria exclaimed.

"Oh, yes! Yes we heard they did...," Shin says slightly downcast.

"Hey what's up, not interested in them!? They are both national heroes that saved us from a Demon years ago! As long as they are in the country, no, the world, they will always be known as living legends!" exclaimed Maria.

"This is too much for us," whispered Chin to Shin. "This, could be the death of us," continued Shin.

"Um, are you two alright?" asked Sizilien.

"Oh um, Maria, do you really like the Wise Man and the Guru so much?" asked Shin.

"'Course I do! Word also has it that their grandson will be attending the Magic Academy!" exclaimed Maria. "Um, I believe that they mentioned that there were two grandsons, I think," said Sizilien. "Even better! Oh wow, how happy am I to thank my lucky stars to be the same age as them!" exclaimed Maria in bliss while making Shin uncomfortable and Chin slightly blush.

"Well um, we better get going, we'll see you some other time," Chin says while putting some notes on the table.

"You mean again at the academy, and we can pay for ourselves you know," Maria clarifies.

"No worries, call it thanks for talking with complete strangers like us," Chin says. "The least we can do, good luck," said Shin.

"Take care!" bade Sizilien to the both of them. "You know, the other one looks somehow like my type, so don't worry about me taking yours," teased Maria. "P-p-p-please keep quiet about it!" yelled the blushing Sizilien. "This is the first time you acted like this Sizilien, hehehe," teased Maria. 'Would be nice if he was one of them at least though,' thought Maria. "How about you, you too barely acted familiar with a boy, much more if he's a stranger...," commented Sizilien. "Now that you mention it...," stuttered the nervously embarrassed Maria.

Time skip: A month later...

Next Location: Outside the Magic Academy...

"It is big as how I imagined it to be," Chin comments. "So this is where all will sit to take the exams," thought Shin out loud.

'If we pass, we can see both Sizilien and Maria again!' thought the twins. "Let's do this Shin!" rallied Chin. "Likewise Chin," said Shin, unknowingly blocking someone's way.

"Hey you, move aside!" says the agitated random student.

"Seems like we're on different rooms, but try not to get too reckless. Granny would kill me if it happens not on my watch," explained Chin. "I'll try not to, hahaha!" assured Shin.

"Hey! You Bastard, stand aside!" the student yelled, tapping Shin's shoulder, only to be in a hind armlock by him, "aaaaggh! Let go of my hand! What are you up to?!"

"Um Shin, release him, he is not worth the fighting, please, it's just a shoulder tap anyway," said Chin.

"My bad, reflexes, but what are you doing grabbing my shoulder with any warning and putting the blame on me?" asked Shin.

"Insolent twerp, I am Kurt von Rietsburg!" barked the student. "Okay, my name's Shin," Shin says, making the people around laugh a bit while Chin covers his forehead while sighing with embarrassment.

"I'll have you know that my father is Count Rietsburg!" Kurt says.

"I'm afraid that you shouldn't state your classes and whatnot since everyone in the academy stays neutral. Am I wrong?" Chin clarifies.

"Yes, that is actually true," says another student with pretty blond hair heading to their direction. "This is no place to threaten or use status to your advantage, or else it is punishment for you," says the blond student.

"Gh, y-you're–," Kurt whispered to himself. "Who is this?" Shin asks.

"So, are you planning to disobey the royal law of the royal family?" asked the blondie.

"N-no! Not at all!" Kurt responded. "Now go, this an entrance exam, please don't disrupt the peace we need to concentrate," the blondie replies. "Y-yes sir, tch," Kurt clicked before leaving the bulletin stand.

"The way you turned his introduction around is quite masterful. You truly are out-of-this-world as I heard you'd be," said the blondie. "Um...," Shin stuttered.

"I am August von Earlsheid, my friends call me Aug," says the blondie. "Wait, Earlsheid!?" Shin exclaimed in surprised. "You have the spitting image as Uncle Dis' son alright," Chin points out, making August laugh loudly and shocking the crowd.

"I have never been called "Uncle Dis' son" before, people usually start kissing up to me when they knew that I'm a prince, but you treated me differently," explained August.

"Well, we treat him as our relative, so that makes you our cousin then," Chin says with glee making August laugh.

"Cousins huh! I like that! Let's hang out later sometime after the exams okay?!" asked August. "Sure, as long as you seem happy about it," said Shin.

"Why are Chin and Shin casually talking with Prince August over there?" asked Maria from afar with the lovestruck Sizilien, "I wonder who are they truly?" Sizilien says.

"But anyway, he's the real problem, to think that he is attending this academy too, better stay aware Sizilien," said Maria glaring at Kurt.

Next Location: Within the academy...

Everyone, including Shin, Chin, and August, taking the written exams are currently in one room.

Time skip: 2 hours later...

"Goodluck, and remember: try not to destroy the place, I won't be around to clean up your mess," says Chin jokingly.

"Shouldn't you do the same too?" Shin backfired making Chin chuckle, "sure, see you in a while."

Next Location: In the Practical Examination room where Shin is...

Shin's Perspective:

"Alright, let's see what all of you can do. Cast your best magic spell with all your might and aim for the targets, you go first," says the proctor to the enrollee next to her. "Yes ma'am!" he says.

'Hmmm, my first time seeing someone other than me using magic, wonder how will he do–,' "All burning flames!" the student yelled, making Shin wonder.

"Gather into my hand and burn my enemies: Fireball!" he chanted throwing a weak ball of flame barely burning the target with a smug face.

'How embarrassing, how embarrassing!' thought Shin lying at the corner. "Ok good enough, next!" yelled the proctor letting another student go.

"Raging waters, whirl into my hand and wash away my enemies: Water Shot!" he yelled shooting a water bullet drenching the target. 'Come on! My Brother Chin can even do far better than that!' thought Shin, making Chin sneeze.

"Dance lightly wind, summon a gust that mows down all: Wind Storm!" yelled another student, summoning a breeze barely pushing the targets. 'This is far too embarrassing to watch already,' Shin thought.

"Great Mother Terra Firma, grant me your strength, form stones to drive away my enemies: Earth Blast!" yelled a female student firing small pebbles barely denting the target while looking self satisfied. 'Why's she looking self-satisfied? What kind of self-deluded magic recital is this?!' Shin thought.

"Um, is something wrong? It's your turn now," says the proctor. "Alright," Shin responds.

"I heard from His Majesty about your power. Keep it under control and try not to destroy the training room," says the proctor. 'Uncle Dis, just what exactly did you tell her?' Shin thought before taking his turn.

'Okay, this should be enough,' he thought summoning a small pale blue flame without chanting. "Whoa what!? Chantless!?" exclaimed the surprised enrollees.

Shin throws the small flame to the targets, exploding one-third of the training room, destroying the targets upon impact. "I thought I told you to control your power!?" asked the proctor. "I did hold back a lot," answered Shin, shocking the other enrollees. "Ahh, I see, thats enough now," says the proctor.

Next Location: In the Practical Examination room of Chin...

Time skip: After the other enrollees took their turn displaying their spells...

'Is this, a nightmare...?' thought Chin, depressed from seeing the others chant their spells. 'Gramps didn't mention how low their powers are, I think Shin thought the same too,' he thought, making Shin sneeze.

"Hey Bowen! Your turn now! By the way, the king told me about you, so try to hold back alright," says the proctor.

"I will. Now then, lets get started," Chin says, summoning a small ball of water that whirls at a fast rate combined with oxygen and hydrogen, making it whirl fast with increasing speed and pressure, then molds it into a arm-length crescent before shooting it to his target, cutting it clean in half and further causing huge cracks to the training room's wall. "I held back with a normal spell this time, how's that?" asked Chin.

"...you pass...," says the proctor who was also astonished with the other enrollees.

Next Location: In the institute's council...

"What!? Are the grandsons really that powerful!?" asked one of the hooded figures.

"Yeah, and since they're both the top scorers, I think they are good candidate for the job tomorrow!" "Agreed!" says the two proctors.

Time skip: The Next Day...

Next Location: At the reception desk in the Magic Academy...

"You are Shin Wolford correct? Here is your uniform, it already has defensive enchantments, but don't try to re-enchant then on your own," says the receptionist.

"With my help and Granny Melida's, I believe exceptions can be arranged," says Chin. "Ah! Chin Bowen! As long as you are liable that is, then it is alright," says the receptionist.

'Hehehe, now's our chance to do a magic makeover,' smirked both Shin and Chin.

"Hey! Shin! Chin!" called Maria from the corridor to the right.

"Oh Maria! What's up? How'd you two do?" asked Chin.

"Oh yes, before I forget, either of you two have to give a speech for tomorrow's ceremony on behalf of the new students ," says the receptionist. "Oh–what!?" exclaimed both Shin and Chin.

"Yes, a new student has to give the speech, it is the academy's tradition!" says August, further saying how important and sacred the ceremony is.

"And that is why, it must be you, good luck!" smirked August.

'This guy is mean-spirited!' thought Shin. 'I was hoping that he was just lying,' lamented Chin.

"Man, those two, taking the top scores, like seriously, that's unfair," commented Maria. "But that's what make them even cooler," says Sizilien. 'True,' thought Maria, " why don't you go talk to him, I mean you both passed?" asked Maria. "Well, how about you?" asked Sizilien, turning the question to Maria. "Well...ahahaha...," stuttered the nervous Maria.

Next Location: In the manor of a noble...

"Damn it all! Damn him! I'm not in S, but A!? And "he" had to take the top score!? Damn it all! He'll pay for this! He will pay!" yelled Kurt.

Time skip: At evening...

Next Location: In Chin and Shin's room...

"Hmmmm, child's play enchantments," commented Chin examining the uniforms' runes.

"Well, at least they allowed us to have our way with them, let's do this!" exclaimed Shin. "Alright, you may go first," says Chin.

"Okay, now to start," says Shin using his pencil wand to nullify the current enchantments on both his and Chin's uniforms then applies the enchantments "Absolute Magical Defense and Physical Defense" an "Antifouling" on both uniforms.

"Done! You're up!" says Shin.

"Now then...," says Chin, applying the enchantments "Magic Power Bank" and "Air Conditioning" on both uniforms. "Done! Yahoo!" yelled Chin. "Can you keep it down this late at night!?" nagged Melida.

"Granny! Look! We've done it!" they reply showing their uniforms. "Done wha–what!?" she yelled.

Time skip: On the day of the entrance ceremony...

Next Location: Outside the Magic Academy's walls...

"Remember not to tell anyone about your uniforms okay?" reminded Melida, getting their nods as a response.

"Hey those robes, are they the Wise Man and the Guru!? Ahh!" exclaimed the crowd rushing to them while pushing Shin and Chin out of their way.

"Ahhhh," yawned the twins Shin and Chin. "Hey, why you two seem dead?" asked Maria while they walk to the auditorium. "Oh, just done something big, got too excited, hehe," Chin replies as they go to the academy's auditorium. "Good luck with your speech. Looking forward to it," smirked August. "Make that speeches, 'cause we both can't decide," said both Shin and Chin, surprising both Sizilien and Maria.

Next Location: In the Ceremony Hall...

"Welcome everyone, to this year's entrance ceremony! May we please welcome the new students!" says one of the proctors, applauding their entrance along with the audience, including all the guardians, parents, visitors, the king, the Wise Man and the Guru, as the new students take their seats.

"I have thought Sizilien as nobility, but Maria too?" retorted Shin. "That's rude!" answered Maria. "Well, at least I'm not on your bad side, hehe," commented Chin, making Maria turn away to hide her slight blush.

"May we ask now the top scorers from the right to please give the new student address: Shin Wolford and Chin Bowen!" called the two proctors, making Shin and Chin walk to the pulpit and leaving both Maria and Sizilien in awe and astonishment questioning August about them.

"Good morning everyone, I am Shin Wolford, and I am Chin Bowen, his brother, on behalf of the incoming students this year" said the both them, leaving the student audience in question.

"On this fine day, as our parents, guardians, and visitors look on, it is a great pleasure to be welcomed by both teachers and current students as we join Earlsheid Magic Academy," said Shin.

Time skip: After the address and the ceremony...

Next Location: In the S-rank Classroom...

"Congratulations on to the S-class of Earlsheid Magic Academy. I am your homeroom teacher: Alfred Marcus. I was once part of the Magic Division Order, but now I'm your practical arts teacher. I'll lay out tomorrow's schedule and we'll finish...," says Alfred to the whole class including Shin, Chin, Sizilien, Maria, and August.

Time skip: Half an hour later...

"Um Shin, do you have a moment?" asked Maria while Shin an Chin pack their things in dimensional pockets to introduce Sizilien's problem.

Time skip: After learning the situation...

"A man keeps hounding after Sizilien!?" exclaimed Shin.

"Shh, hey, you're being too loud. Sizilien keeps turning him down, but he keeps using his family power to take advantage of her,"explained Maria.

"Why should we worry about a guy disobeying the royal law when the penalties will follow? Is he in this academy?" asked Chin.

"Yeah, and he's–," "I'm sorry, Shin, Chin, to disturb you about this matter," Sizilien replies cutting off Maria.

"No worries, we'd be glad to help. Well, I wouldn't mind helping a potential sister-in–," "Stooop! And yeah, what he said while silencing Chin.

"Hey, Sizilien! Why you, taking off to another man when already have one!?" yelled Kurt.

"Kurt again huh?" retorted Chin. "Yeah! It's him!" Maria answers.

"Get over here!" Kurt yelled while trying to grab Sizilien's arm until Shin intervened and slapped his hand away.

"Bastard! What are you–," Kurt barked until he sees an extended wooden baton with a steel head pointed near his face. "This is as far as you go now. Can't have you stalking around my friend now can I?" Chin retorted.

"Sizilien's my fiancee! Stand aside!" Kurt barks, scaring Sizilien. "So he says," Shin replies. "But...um...," Sizilien stutters.

"It's gonna be okay, I'll protect you, no matter what," Shin assures, raising Sizilien's spirit.

"I have declined your engagement! Your hounding me and declaration of our unreal engagement is nothing but harassment to me!" Sizilien declares.

"You dare defy me!? I'll have you know that–," "Your family might do something to her family so to make your fantasy real, even if it defies the royal decree, right?" Chin continuing Kurt's statement, silencing him.

"Well, will you?" asked August, standing by door in the halls. "Ah Aug, the perfect witness. Well, what's it gonna be Kurt: will you defy the "royal decree"?" repeated both Shin and Chin at the last statement.

"It is an inexcusable attempt and an affront to the royal family as Chin affirmed. Maybe I myself shall have a word with the finance bureau with your father then," August answered, scaring Kurt that he walked away to avoid he trouble.

"You will pay!" he exclaimed.

"Thank you so much, Your Highness!" Sizilien said. "I was just about to lose my cool," Shin said.

"Well, things were getting ugly over there, but I do want to see what happens if you lost your composure, hahaha," August replies. 'I'm starting to question your power as a prince,' Chin thought.

"Hey! Jump in and help alright!" Shin yelled. ""No matter what happens, I'll protect you!" It's very nice, right Klode?" August smirks.

"Huh!? Umm...I thought he was pretty cool!" Sizilien answered. "See?" August teases making Shin blush.

"So, do you think everything is okay for now?" asked Maria. "Well, maybe, but looking at him, he seems relentless so just be extra careful and just stick with us okay Sizilien? My brother can keep all the villains away! Right?" Chin teases as he nudges Shin making him and Sizilien blush.

"Oh! Why don't we all go to our place?" Shin suggests. "

"No way, the home of the Wise Man and the Guru!?" Maria exclaims. "If any of you are busy we won't force–," "I'm coming! Definitely coming! Just a moment! I have to let my parents know! Okay Sizilien?" Maria says and agrees with Sizilien before sending her parents a message.

"I'll go too, knowing that my father would probably be there as well," August says, looking uneasy with two other students next to him. "I am Julius von Littenheim, an escort of His Majesty," says the taller blondie. "And I am Thor von Flegel, also an escort of His Highness," replied the shorter white-haired boy.

Next Location: In the living room of the home of the Wise Man and the Guru...

"You boys sure came late, what has happened?" asked Merlin. "Well, something came up earlier, sorry," says Chin.

"But anyways, allow me introduce you to our classmates. You already know who Aug is right? This is Maria and Sizilien. And this is Julius and this is Thor," Shin introduced, shocking them except August.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," says August.

"I-it's a pleasure to finally meet you! I am Maria!" Maria exclaimed before bowing in front of Melida.

"I am Sizilien," "I am Thor," "I am Julius," they all replied while Melida stares at Maria and Sizilien.

Time skip: After minutes of explaining the situation...

"I see and I understand," Merlin replied. "Some nobles aren't watchful parents after all," Melida commented.

"So, I–I mean we, like to overwrite the enchantment on Sizilien's uniform," says Shin. "Call it an emergency if needed," Chin adds.

"Enchantment?" asked Maria. "What do you mean?" August continued.

"Yes indeed, your name is Sizilien, yes?" Melida clarifies. "Ah yes Mistress Melida," Sizilien answers. "I tell you now, that these overwritten enchantment are especially radical matters. Shin is quite serious in keeping you safe, so, do you think you are worthy to accept it?" Melida questions, putting Sizilien on the spot.

"Granny, you're thinking too much of it," Shin says. "Keep quiet! Do you even have any idea what you have done to your uniform?!" Melida says. "I'll have to side with Granny on this one, I too suggest this matter, which is why we consulted you Granny," Chin adds.

"Yes, because their uniforms have become national-grade protective gears," Melida says, shocking everyone in the room. "So, do you still think you are ready and worthy to accept it?" Melida asks, making Sizilien think deeply with tears in her eyes.

"I...am not worthy to accept...I am taking advantage of Shin's kindness. I thought he would just sympathize and help me once I tell him the situation," Sizilien says with sadness and guilt.

"Well, he's so strong, so it makes sense that you'd want to turn to him," Melida comments.

"Shin and his brother Chin are both outsiders, yet they are so willing to help us, and help me. And Shin said he'd protect me, which made me so happy...," Sizilien further says.

"No Sizilien, it was my idea that we ask for his help," Maria says. "I am sorry Shin, Chin, I'll try to somehow do this on my own...I am also sorry to bother you, Mistress Melida, farewell," said Sizilien as she is about to leave.

"Wait for a moment. If you accepted his offer without saying any reason, I would have thrown you out, but then instead you told the truth and renounced the chance of getting national-grade protective gear. That's something that no normal person can do, " Melida says.

"But I tricked Shin, him and Chin," Sizilien sobs. "What's wrong with a girl tricking a boy? I mean, look at Shin, he finds you adorable and hasn't realized what you did. Not to mention, getting all worked up when you came to him," Melida explained, embarrassing Shin before turning to Maria.

"You, you are Maria yes?" Melida asks the redhead girl. "Ah yes!" Maria replies.

"In case you haven't known, I can sense that Chin on the other hand, also wishes to overwrite your uniform's enchantments too, the same national-grade enchantments on his uniform, do "you" think you are worthy for them too?" Melida asked. "Huh? Huh?!" Maria exclaimed.

"Nonononono, that is too much for me! I can't do that!" Maria explained

"Um Granny, I did not–," "Quiet Chin, between me and Merlin, I know you better and can tell you want to help her as well. Seeing you daydreaming while staring at her eyes," Melida points out, embarrassing a tomato-head Chin. "You see, he too wants to help you, whether he says it or not, and you can tell from how he is reacting right now," Melida clarifies. 'Granny please no more,' thought the embarrassed Chin.

"Mistress Melida, I-I am sorry... but it is too big for me to handle...I am sorry...to trouble you and Chin," Maria explained, with her teary face downcast. "Wait, if you have said otherwise, I would have you thrown out too," Melida says hen hugs both Maria and Sizilien.

"I am sorry for testing the both of you, it must be straining, but as both their mother and grandmother, I wish to see them happy, with anyone they are with," Melida says.

"Yes, Sizilien, it is fine with me to ask for help. Actually, you are always welcome to feel free to use me," Shin says. "Mm, likewise, Maria, I am not troubled or bothered by you, not a bit," Chin says after him, making both Maria and Sizilien cry on Melida's shoulders and went their way to Melida's room afterwards.

"I had no idea that Sizilien girl is using you," Merlin said. "Me too," Shin says. "Well, when comes to being careful, Granny can handle that," Chin says, with everyone nodding in agreement. "That aside, I seem to be nothing but air here for a while with Melida doing all that," Merlin lamented getting depressed. "Hang in there Grandpa," comforted Chin and Shin, ignoring the other people.

Time skip: After minutes of undressing and dressing and a heart-to-heart talk by Melida with Maria and Sizilien and returning to the living room...

"There, and done!" Chin says after both he and Shin applied their enchantments on their uniforms, astonishing everyone.

"Such preposterous sights right?" Melida comments. "Still surprising me always these boys," said Merlin. "You can do anything can you...?" August retorted.

"Well Shin's enchantments are active types while mine are passive. His enchantments require magic that is conscious and controlled externally at a certain range, while mine maintains equilibrium internally," Chin explains.

"In other words, you may be vulnerable or exposed sneak attacks or attacks aimed at the head, arms and legs," Shin explains. "And give emergency benefits to the wearer," Chin adds.

"I must say, these are extraordinary feats Shin, Chin. However, if word gets out with this, it will shake the entire nation. Wars would be far from prevalent here and possibly the world when revealed to the public, do you understand?" Diseum explained.

"That...is deep, didn't know the odds of that, we'll promise to be more careful now," Shin says while Chin nods in agreement.

"Oh! The first time Shin and Chin both reflect on their actions!" Melida rejoiced with Merlin laughed in agreement.

"We were gonna do the same with Aug and the rest, but when you put it that way...," Chin stutters.

"Uhhh wait wait, can you at least make an exception or two please?" Diseum pleads.

Time skip: After minutes of discussing and enchanting again...

"Thank you Shin, wearing this makes me feel like you're there to protect me. I am truly grateful and happy now!" Sizilien says with the rest of their friends that also had their uniforms enchanted. "You're always welcome Sizilien," Shin answers.

"Y-yes, thank you, Chin. But you really don't have to you know...?" Maria retorted. "It may not be a gift you'd like, but it was the least I can do, 'specially for you, Maria," Chin says firmly, making Maria blush more and turn to hide her blush. "Shut up, dummy," Maria whispered.

"Now then, Sizilien, starting tomorrow, I'll take you home," Shin says. "I'll take you home as well Maria," Chin says.

"Wha–really?!" Maria exclaimed. "Won't it be an imposition for both of you?" Sizilien asks.

"It's fine, as long as we use "Gate"," Shin says. "Gate? What's that?" Maria asks.

"Watch," Shin says as both Shin and Chin step up and open a portal. "Okay guys, step right up and look what's on the other side!" Chin yelled as they all went through the portal.

Next Location: Deep in the forest at the Cabin of the Wise Man...

"Um, where are we?" Maria asks. "We're at our Gramps old home," Chin answered.

"Wait, you said you lived somewhere deep in the forest, didn't you?" August asks. "This is it," Shin answers.

"Wait, isn't this teleportation magic?!" Maria exclaimed. "More like, "connecting-two-places" magic, 'cause we skip the distances, shortening and giving us a shortcut. It called teleportation if you "instantly" appear or transfer to that place. Does that make sense?" says Shin and Chin, slightly confusing everyone. "No it doesn't," says the confused Maria.

Next Location: Back at the at Capital at the home of the Wise Man and the Guru...

"We can only use "Gate" to places we've been through, so once we take carriages to both your homes, we can use "Gate" there," Shin says.

"Gaaagh, I still don't get it!?" said Maria, confused. "Thank you Shin, Chin. "Seriously you two, you're both taking magic for granted," August comments. "You're good at flunking common sense," Julius says.

"But it's not all bad right?...Right?" Shin retorted, while Chin holds his forehead in embarassment.

–To Be Continued–


	4. Chapter 3

The Magic Twins Ch. 3: Miracles, Mysteries and Miseries

"Well then, we're going now," Shin says with Chin, Sizilien, and Maria.

"Yes, good luck," Merlin says. "Remember you two, in whatever you do, be prudent," Melida reminds. "We will Granny," Chin replies.

Next Location: While walking towards the Academy...

"There's nothing so far coming up in my "Search Magic", how 'bout you?" Shin asks. "Clean here as well," Chin answers.

"Sorry Shin, Chin. Making the both of you come all the way to me and Maria's homes and pick us up like this," Sizilien says.

"Well, with "Gate", it is no problem for us, so don't worry. I can't let any more danger come to you now can I?" Shin flirts. "Oh Shin," Sizilien blushes.

"Guys, seriously...," Chin comments. "This is too early in the morning to make my stomach turn," Maria adds.

Next Location: In the S-class lecture room of the Magic Academy...

"Oh Shin, Chin, good morning! Leave it to you two with girls in tow so soon after enrolling," August teases.

"Put a sock in it Aug," Shin says. "You already know why we're doing this," Chin continues.

"Can't help myself teasing you, especially you Chin. Helping Maria when she doesn't even need it," August smirks making Chin scratch his cheek for a moment due to embarrassment. "Shut it!" yells the blushing Maria.

"Good morning Shin," Julius greets. "Good morning Chin," Thor greets.

"Good morning," says the confused twins.

"Yaha! I made it right? I made it in time? Right?" says a short blond girl sliding on the table.

"You made it, but what gives with you arriving at school at the nick of time on the first day?" Maria asks.

"Ahaha sorry I'm just so looking forward to today's class that I couldn't sleep, so I slept in," says the short blondie. "What are you, a child!?" Maria retorts.

'Right, in this world, you're an adult at the age of 15 so...," Shin thought. 'I think she is...Alice Corn? Oh wait Corner,' Chin thought.

"You're all here today right?" says Alfred as he enters the classroom. "Ah Teacher!" Chin says. "Good morning!" Alice greets. "Yeah good morning to you as well. Everyone take your seats, we're starting homeroom. Once that's done, I'll show you around school," Alfred continues.

Time skip: After homeroom and the school tour...

Next Location: Outside the Academy Interiors...

"That's the quick tour. The school is broadly divided into two buildings–one of them being your classroom building, where your classes are, and the other one has the faculty offices, the student council, as well as the rooms used for the laboratory and study groups," Alfred explains. 'Study groups? Something like clubs? Interesting,' Chin thought.

"The Attack Magic Study Group, the Quality of Life study group, which produces magical gear; and the Body Language study group, which deals in mastery of strengthening magic to name a few," Alfred continues to explain. 'Ummm, isn't that the wrong idea to live as a magician in a way...?' Shin thought while seeing Julius satisfied.

"The Body Language study group, if it weren't for my duties guarding His Highness, I would absolutely choose to join that one!" Julius exclaimed while dreaming of his dream body.

"If so, don't worry about guarding me and go ahead join there," August replied, shocking Julius. "Your Highness, I'm sorry but I cannot do that," Julius replies, depressing August.

"This is a magic academy, where the authority of the royal family is neutralized while staying here. Hence, there is no reason in being tied to me at all," August replied.

"Your Highness! I'm very much appreciated!" says the cluelessly overjoyed Julius. 'He hates being escorted so he gives them peace to give himself space? Cruel,' Shin thought.

"Hey Chin, Shin, do you guys have a study group to choose already?" Alice asks. "Hmmmm, none of them piqued my interest and honestly, sound shallow from the names given, so I think I'm gonna just study and discover things myself," Chin explained.

"True, none of them would probably challenge the both of you," August added. "Hey don't say it like that," Shin rebutted. "Here's a better idea: why don't you two start your own?" August suggested.

"Hm, now that sounds splendid to me, how 'bout you Shin?" Chin asks, shocking Shin. "Hoho, a study group created by Wolford and Bowen twins? That would be fascinating," Alfred commented, with August agreeing and Shin further confused and nervous.

"Sure it would. It would be interesting to see what kind of study group that Shin and Chin would start, and what activities they'll have," August adds.

"Indeed, it would be interesting," added a female classmate named Lyn Hughes. "If you guys do, I'd join it too!" Alice confirms. "I might join too," says the woman named Yuri Carlton. "Nice idea, if I joined, I'd probably stay in S-class all the way through. Teach, what does it take to start a study group?" asked a guy named Tony Freud.

"Five or more members and a faculty advisor. Then you just need to submit a request form, and you can start one. Also, if you really want to do it, I'll be advisor," Alfred summarizes, making the class awe.

"Guys wait, hold for a sec," Shin halts. "Shin, if you're going to start a study group, I'll join it too," Sizilien says, shocking Shin. "I'll join too if you guys start one, but that will mean you will still pick and drop us off home, since we'll be doing things together," Maria adds, giving Chin an idea.

'Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes,' Chin thought while staring at Shin, making him even more nervous.

"If you're the group's president and vice president, what would we even do?" Thor asks, making Shin nervous while Chin more enthusiastic.

"How about the Hero Study Group?" Alice suggests. "Huh, what do you mean?" Shin asks. "You'd tell us about Master Merlin and Mistress Melisa!" Alice explained, shocking Shin. "I don't think so," Chin answers, depressing the pouting Alice.

"Well, there is a study group that follows the exploits of the Wise Man and the Guru," Alfred points out, shocking both Shin and Chin.

"Then how about we work mastering all kinds of magic with Wolford and Bowen as our focus?" Lyn suggests, surprising both Shin and Chin. "We'll call it the Ultimate Magic Study Group," Lyn declares.

'You're killing me Lyn!' Shin thought. "Hm, not how I would expect, but better than how I would name i—," "Please stop," Shin begs while shaking Chin. "Sure, that would be perfect for the both of you," August agrees.

"The Ultimate Magic Study Group! Sounds super duper!" Alice exclaims, shocking Shin. "Then, can you decide the subject matter after class? All wanting to join raise your hands," Alfred suggests with everyone in favor. "It's not "ultimate" anything," Shin laments.

Next Location: In a certain meeting room in the royal palace…

"This is bad, Demon appearances have increased this much in the last year?" retorted one official.

"Why is that? If demons are proliferating, there should be more of a commotion throughout the kingdom," another official points out.

"However, I've never even heard any rumors of that happening," answers the first official. "What's the meaning of this, Dominic?" asked Diseum.

"If you will look over the daily reports, I'm sure it will be clear. The daily increase in demons has been incredibly slight. It's been little by little, within the margin of error, but it's definitely been increasing," says the official named Dominic Gastor, distressing Diseum.

"The way it's been increasing, slowly enough to avoid our notice, this is nothing more than my own personal speculation, but I get the impression that it's artificially induced," Dominic states, shocking everyone in the room.

"Impossible, there is no way this predicament could be man-made!" angers the other official. "Your Majesty, these are unusual circumstances, we need an immediate investigation," Dominic urges.

"Alright, enlist the Demon Hunter's Society and thoroughly investigate this!" Diseum commands and dismisses the meeting.

Next location: In the Rietsburg Estate…

"Kurt! Kurt, are you here!?" yells Count Rietsburg, motioning to Kurt's appearances. "What is it, Father," Kurt asks.

"Don't "what is it" me! I've received a summons to His Majesty! You know why don't you?" Count Rietsburg asks before grabbing Kurt's collar. "What were you thinking!? You know that throwing your standing around at the academy is forbidden, don't you?!" he retorts.

"With all due respect, Father, we are a chosen people. It's not right to be treated on the same level as commoners," Kurt replies.

"Kurt, wh-what are you saying?" Count Rietsburg asks only to be shoved away by Kurt. "I am a chosen person! A special person! And yet everyone else disrespects and defies me! There's no way I can stand for that!" Kurt yells, shocking his father.

"It's him, yes, everything started going wrong after he showed up. I can't do as I please with my girl, and moreover, if His Highness is taking their side, it's all the more reason to–," "Kurt!" nagged Count Rietsburg as he punched Kurt to the ground. "I can't turn a blind eye to a statement like that! I have to think about how to punish you! Somebody, lock Kurt in his room!" yelled Count Rietsburg. 'What's gotten I to you, Kurt…,' he thought.

Time skip: The next day…

Next Location: At the Academy…

"What, Kurt got grounded?" Shin asked. "Yeah. Apparently the Rietsburg family contacted the academy this morning," August replied. "He needs to stay down and reflect, it will disturb the learning atmosphere," Chin says while reading a booklet about ancient script and definitions.

"If I can ask, why does Kurt have that attitude? He's not allowed to throw the weight of his family name around right?" Shin asks.

"Honestly, we're at a loss ourselves," Julius answered. "We went to the same middle school that he did, but his behavior was never anything like this," Thor explains. "Then it seems something changed his heart and mind in the latter," Chin guesses.

"Not something, someone. He started acting differently after he went to Mr. Schtrom's lab," Thor says. "Come to think of it, that's right," August says.

"Who's this "Mr. Schtrom"?" Chin asks.

"In our third of middle school, he transferred in as a magic teacher, claiming to be exiled from the empire," Thor explained. "He took anyone who was half-decent with magic and invited us all to visit his laboratory, which sounded shady so all of us except Kurt turned him down," August adds.

"He might be blind, because he has a patch covering both his eyes, but he acted normally. He might be using a special kind of magic which let him sense inorganic objects that had no magic," Thor explained.

"Some unique kind of search magic? Now I'm curious," Chin comments.

"A magician with an eyepatch over both eyes, in exile from the empire?" Shin Shin repeats.

Next Location: In the Rietsburg Estate's Entry Hall…

"Ah, Mr. Schtrom! Thank you for coming over!" Mrs. Rietsburg pleads.

"It has been too long, Mrs. Rietsburg. How is your son doing?" Schtrom asks.

"Oh I don't even know what's happening anymore! How could my boy end up like this! My husband is trying to discipline Kurt...the way things are going, I fear my boy will…," she sobs.

"I see, he looked up to me as his teacher. I'll go and have a word with him," Schtrom assures.

"Please do! You're the only one I can turn to! Please bring him back to his senses!" Mrs. Rietsburg begs, leading him to Kurt's room where he is bound in ropes.

Next Location: In Kurt's room…

"What's the matter Kurt?" Schtrom asks. "Mr. Schtrom," he replies.

"Well isn't this a pretty pathetic sight?" Schtrom retorts while applying "Sound-proofing Barrier" magic in the room. "I told you that you are somebody special, didn't I?" Schtrom asks. "Yes," Kurt answers.

"Your station and abilities are special. There's nothing you can not obtain," Schtrom affirms.

"But I didn't manage to get the girl! Because he, no, they, stood in my way!" he rebutted.

"Oh, I see. So they're hindrances to you, are they? Well then, listen to me. I want you to teach these hindrances a lesson. After all, you are special" Schtrom asks and commands while infusing an ominous magic into Kurt before leaving the room and Estate. "Kurt, dance as best as you can for me," he mutters.

Time skip: Around the middle of noon…

Next Location: In the School Cafeteria…

"So Shin, Chin, what are you going to do about coming and going to school?" August asks.

"What we're going to do?" Shin asks. "Yes, Kurt has been grounded at home, so there's no longer any danger at the academy or on the street now right?" August explains.

"That is true," Chin says, slightly saddening Maria. "There might not be any need for an escort now," Shin says, shocking and saddening Sizilien.

"I suppose that's true...he's an escort after all," Sizilien says with her face downcast.

"But there's no harm walking them home and back here normally right?" Chin replies.

"True, I mean our houses are in the same direction," Shin says.

"Oh yes! Y-you're right! We do live in the same direction! There's nothing weird about us walking to school together!" Sizilien explained with joy. "Ah! I'm sorry, I beg your pardon," Sizilien whimpers with Maria agreeing with her.l

"Jeez, overexcited as always," Maria smirks. "Ah I'm not! How about you!? Won't you too if it's Chin stops walking with you around too?" Sizilien retaliates.

"H-huh, I don't know what you're talking about Sizilien," Maria denies while hiding her blush, letting their band except a blushing Chin explode in laughter.

"Impressive Shin, saying "be with me" like that in front of everyone. That's something I could never do," August commented, making Shin blush and Sizilien blush harder.

"That isn't what I said right?" Shin asks, with Sizilien bright as a tomato.

"You should try to be a bit more on the offensive Chin, you won't know that Maria would fawn over someone else next time," August teases, getting Chin and Maria startled and flustered.

"Well, I do walk her to school as well as regularly as Shin does, but I just feel not like the reliable kind of guy compared to him, hehe," Chin explained.

"What are you talking about! You are reliable, I mean, being Shin's brother and assisting him, I find that as one reason to prove that you are reliable!" Maria exclaimed, then snaps back and turns bright as a tomato. "Please forget what I said guys," Maria pleads making everyone except a flustered Chin laugh.

"Well jokes aside, walking to school together is a good thing, and both Klode and Messina are fine-looking young ladies. So they're bound to attract unsavory characters," August agrees.

"Then they should say their prayers for crossing us," Chin says with firm scary tone, giving everyone chills.

"Well, if they do, our search magic will detect them," Shin says. "Really? How?" Maria asks.

"How? You can usually tell when someone is directing ill will at you right?" Shin asks.

"No, we can't sense ill will with search magic," Thor answered.

"Well, um...Thor, have you ever hunted a demon before?" Shin asks.

"No, of course I haven't. I just barely got out of middle school," Thor replies with Lyn agreeing.

"Magic powers of Demons are sort of sinister, abnormal and gruesome. It somehow can be distinguished with normal instincts like regular people. Search magic is the extension of your senses, in other words," Chin explains.

"Wait, so you mean," "Wolford, Bowen, have both of you hunted demons before?" Thor and Lyn ask. "Yes we have," Shin answers, shocking everyone except Chin.

"Just curious, how old were you guys when you first did hunted them?" Tony asks. "Ten years old," Chin and Shin answered together, shocking everyone in their table.

"They're both bears if I recall, were they?" "Yes they were," Shin and Chin answered, further scaring everyone.

"They're both about three meters tall, I cut off one of their heads," Shin answered. " But I smashed it's head, so that its fur can be stripped in one go," Chin continued, both of them shocking their group.

"I think we got carried away again," Shin says, with Chin embarrassed. "Um, which part were you surprised with?" Shin asks. "All of it," the group answered.

Next Location: In the Exterior Hallway of the academy…

"We have study group orientation in the afternoon, but we've already decided we're going to start the Ultimate Magic Study Group," Alice complains.

"It is a waste of time to have them tell us about study groups," Yuri comments.

"Let's let things happen patiently, I mean, maybe Teacher didn't mention anything else important about study groups," Chin answered. "Well, if you say so," Yuri smirked.

"Yes, if we all refuse, it will incur resentment," Julius added.

"Ug! Shin, did you feel that?" Chin asks as he stopped walking. "What's wrong Chin?" Maria asks.

"Yes, ill will is directed at us, but where?Shin asks. "At the garden to our right," Chin answers pointing at the figure exuding a murderous aura. "Wait, isn't that, Kurt!?" Chin exclaimed, shocking the entire group.

"Gragh!" Kurt yelled as he fired a huge "Fireball" at the group, only to be blocked by Chin's "Geyser Barrier" (new name for the "Waterfall Barrier" in the previous chapter XD) shielding the whole group.

"Everyone, use the magic energy in your uniforms and channel them to Chin!" Shin yelled while Chin's shielding and scalding his hands.

"What kind of spell was that?! A barrier?!" Tony exclaimed.

"Chin! Your hands!" Sizilien points out. "Don't worry, I can heal myself," Chin says as he summons "Living Water"a spell that envelops his hands and heals them, comforting both Sizilien and Maria.

"Shin?" Chin motioned. "Yeah, what's he doing here?" Shin asked

"I thought he's supposed to be grounded!" Maria exclaimed.

"But he's here now, positively trying to kill us," Shin answered. "Yup, that was attempted murder, so there's no way we can let this slide," August adds.

"Damn you, damn you, damn you all!" Kurt roared, spreading his demonic aura.

"Um, Aug, do you think he's in control?" Shin asks. "No I don't," August answered.

"It's bad right?" Chin asks while pulling out his enchanted baton and transformed it into a bo staff. "Yes it is," August answers.

"Damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you!" Kurt roars as he begins to demonize and shock the entire group.

'Is this for real?! He has demonized!' Shin thought.

"August, please take everyone here and inside then get out of here, now," Chin replies preparing his offensive stance with his staff at his back with Shin unsheathing his enchanted sword.

"Wait, Shin, Chin, don't tell me," "We've got to stop him one way or another before he causes anymore harm," Shin answers August.

"That's crazy! You guys get out too!" August yelled. "We can't let a demonoid run loose in the capital," Shin continues.

"Then let me help," "What are you talking about, you've never hunted a Demon before," Shin says to August.

"So we're just in the way?" August asks. "Yes, you are," Shin answers. "Is that right?...We're getting out of here, right now!" August yells.

"No way! We can't leave Shin and Chin to handle this!" Sizilien answers. "But then we'll just be in the way, so we have to go now!" Maria says painfully while dragging Sizilien with her. "Chin, please, don't die, you hear me!" Maria yelled.

"Yes, Maria," Chin smirks activating "Mana Arms"–a spell that uses mana to form a weapon–to form spearheads at the tips of his bo staff.

"Everyone, get out and run, but you two go tell the teachers about this right now," August commands.

"At least she, I mean, they are safe now," Chin says. " Yeah, now then, let's do this Kurt!" Shin cries.

"Graaaaaaaagh!" Kurt roars as he charges to Shin and Chin and uses a "Dark Fireball", that was extinguished by Chin's "Jet Water Beam" before being flung away by his staff's shaft, but landing safely. "Now Shin!" Chin yelled.

Motioning Shin to fire three of his "Pale Blue Sparks" at Kurt, making him lose balance and fall down. "Wait, did that actually do some damage? I meant to slow him down," he thought.

"Wolford, damn you. Bowen, damn you, damn you!" Kurt roared.

'A demonoid that can speak?!' they thought. "This isn't what Gramps mentioned to us!" Shin says. 'I thought they are supposed to lose all sense of reason!' Chin thought.

"I'll kill you, I'll kill you all!" Kurt roared as he fired another "Dark Fireball"at Shin, which was extinguished by Chin's "Geyser Barrier", then charges and kicks Chin as he shields with his staff to the ground, causing him to hit the wall, just not sedating him. "Guhagh!" Chin grunted from the strike.

"Chin!" Shin yelled as he hovered with his "Jet Boots" and used "Lightning Bolt" on Kurt, damaging him. "Maybe he hasn't totally become a demonoid yet, Chin!" Shin motioned to Chin, who stood with the help of his staff while healing with his "Living Water" spell.

"I'm fine, anyways, there ought be a way to return his senses somehow, got one?" Chin asks, charging in front of Shin to deflect Kurt's "Dark Fireballs".

"Maybe if I can control the erratic magic that is demonizing Kurt...," Shin answers. "Sounds like a plan, but I don't know if that can work," Chin comments.

"Wolford...Bowen!" Kurt roars while gathering magical power from the environment, causing his aura to slowly expand, about to explode.

"Oh no, he's gathering up magical power into himself to create an explosion! It will destroy this academy! Come!" Shin yells preparing his sword.

"Let's do the "Human Sling"!" Chin suggests. "Right!" Shin says as he hops and crouches on the shaft of Chin's staff.

"Hyyyyyyaahhhhh!" Chin cries as he swings and slings Shin toward Kurt, piercing through his barrier and beheading him, letting his head and body fall bleeding on the ground, dissipating the demonic aura.

"That blast would've could've costed part of the academy, ugh...," Chin grunted as he fell on his knees while holding on to his staff as Shin dropped his bloodied blade. 'I've...never killed a person before,' Shin thought.

"Never thought we had to kill him, but it is for everyone, including Sizilien and Maria," Chin assures. "I know, but, just what is going on in this world...that it had to be this way...?" Shin laments.

"Shin! Chin! Are you guys alright!?" August yelled, getting their attention while running to them.

"Shin! Are you, are you hurt!?" Sizilien asks as she examines Shin's body. "I'm fine, thank you," he answered.

"Chin! Are you alright!? You took many blows out there!? Just what were you thinking!?" Maria nagged at Chin before hugging him very tight.

"It's alright now Maria, all's well ends well," Chin assures. "But still, can't believe you two actually defeated a demonoid," Maria comments.

"Wait, you guys watched all that?" Shin asks then stares down at Kurt's corpse.

"Wasn't there anything else I could do?" Shin asks. "There are, but we just don't know them yet unless we researched hard enough, Shin. Circumstances have gotten out of hand," Chin explained, standing up with Maria's help.

"That's why we are going to form the Ultimate Magic Study Group to do that," August agrees with everyone nodding in agreement.

"But he was stalking you...and even turned into a demonoid...but still...," Shin stutters. "Oh Shin...," Sizilien whispers.

"Shin, Chin, seems like things are going to get rough for the both of you now," August says.

"How so, I thought the rough part was dealt with, right?" Chin asks. "Huh?" Shin responded.

"This is the second demonoid appearance in all of history. It's a huge deal, and the whole kingdom, but you two resolved it just like that," August explained.

"Your Highness!" Julius shouted from afar while running towards August. "Are you alright?" Thor asks.

"We got a report of a Demonoid! Where is the–," said one of the royal guards.

"He's the one lying over there," August points out.

"Wait, you don't mean you brought him down!?" exclaimed the guard.

"No, it wasn't me. Everyone listen up! The demonise was brought down by Shin Wolford and Chin Bowen, grandsons of Merlin the Wise Man and Melida the Guru!" August announced as he pointed at Shin and Chin, shocking the guards.

"Oraaaaaa! They took down a demonoid! That's the Wise man's grandsons for you! Our new heroes: Shin Wolford and Chin Bowen! Shin! Chin! Chin! Shin! Chin!" the guards cheer and cry.

"Why do I feel like I got an upset stomach right now...," Chin commented, making Maria laugh.

"Uh, no, I mean...wha–," 'is this what he meant by "rough"?' Shin trailed off.

-To be continued

Author's note:

If you guys are wondering how Chin looks like:

-Hair: Same features and color like Erk from Fire Emblem 7, except orchid in color.

-Face: similar to Shin's, but looks less confident than Shin.

-Body structure: similar to Shin's

That's all for today, see you guys next time! XP


	5. Chapter 4

The Magic Twins Ch. 4: Great Rewards and Great Power, comes with Great Responsibility and Great Regrets

"Well, seems this experiment is a success. However...," Schtrom trailed off while staring at Shin from afar on a rooftop.

"What's the matter, Shin? Worn out from being a hero all of a sudden?" August asks as he entered the classroom. "True, but something else is bothering me," Shin answered while staring at the whole classroom, with Chin clutching his staff while Maria assists him.

"Is it really that easy to become a demonoid?" Shin retorted. "Actually, you're right about that," August answered.

"Huh? Wait, what do ya mean?" Alice asks. "Once, a high-level magician became a demonoid, said to have messed up while casting advanced magic–urgh! And ended up demonizing," Chin explained while enduring the leg injuries taken from Kurt. "Sorry brother," Shin apologized.

"Brothers have each others' backs, and I got yours. You owe me," Chin replied, making everyone except August laugh loudly, getting Shin embarrassed.

"Rietsburg had just barely enrolled in the magic academy. Even if he did what the first demonoid had done, he'd only over-throttle. So for him to become a demonoid…," August thought out loud.

"But he did turn into one," Maria says.

"Which can most likely mean one thing," Chin stated. "Which is what Chin?" Sizilien asks.

"They could be artificially induced, correct?" Shin retorted. "You mean someone created a demonoid?!" Lyn asks.

"Well, our grandfather said that demonoids lose their sense of reason, yet Kurt is still able to speak, he was surprisingly weak for one," Shin replied, scaring the group except Chin.

"If that's the case, then Kurt would've been used as a human experiment," Chin says, shocking the group. "It's just a hunch, but it'll do for now," Shin adds.

Time skip: After two hours later...

Next Location: Entering the House of the Wise Man and the Guru...

"Huh?" Uncle Dis?" Shin notices. "Oh, home just in time," Diseum responds. "Um, for what occasion?" Chin asks.

"Your Majesty," asks the confidant getting a yes before saluting and announcing: "Shin Wolford and Chin Bowen, in this kingdom's time of need, the appearance of a demonoid, with no concern for the danger to yourselves, you successfully put it down. Therefore, you are hereby awarded the First Order of Merit by King Earlsheid."

"Th-The First Order of Merit!?" "A-are they giving us medals!?" Shin and Chin thought out loud, exciting both Maria and Sizilien.

"Diseum, didn't you say that you won't use Shin and Chin for political purposes?" Merlin asks. "What exactly is the meaning of this?" Melida continues.

"When a demonoid appeared once before, the kingdom of Earlsheid was in danger of being exterminated. That threat has appeared once again and its news have spread to much of the population, even if it were suppressed in short order. As far as the kingdom goes, both of these matters must be made public," Diseum replied.

"I understand that, but what's the meaning of this award though," Merlin asks, making Melida even more anxious.

"It is because they have accomplished the same feat you two have, and we can't very well withhold granting their awards," Diseum answered.

"You do have a point but–," "There are those who would exploit them of course, but I will do everything in my power to prevent that. So I implore you to allow this to happen. Not for my sake, but for the people, please" Diseum pleads and bows, shocking all in the vicinity.

"Hahh, very well Diseum, I will take your word for that, but break your word, and we will leave the kingdom. Is that clear?" Merlin negotiates, making Sizilien and Maria nervous.

"As long as we are still viewed as students of the Magic Academy, we may be considered neutral, so I too ask that you be vigilant with those that seek to exploit the academy," Chin adds, with Maria gently grabbing his hand to assure and calm him and Sizilien with Shin.

"Very well, I'll take them to heart," Diseum answered. "Also, a nation's king should not bow to someone so readily," Merlin comments.

"Hahh, seriously, troubles sprout wherever you two go, one after another," Melida commented, embarrassing both Shin and Chin.

Time skip: The next morning...

Next Location: In the streets of Earlsheid...

"Hey look! There are the heroes! Shin and Chin!" the villagers murmured as Shin and Chin walk through the streets with Sizilien and Maria.

"Those are the new heroes who defeated the second demonoid in history!? Wow, so cool!" commented some of the village maidens.

"Uncle Dis said he issued a gag order, but word has still spread like crazy," Shin commented, with Chin's face downcast.

"Well, His Majesty said we can't keep the fact that you two defeated another demonoid a secret, right?" Maria adds.

"Then again, he said not to reveal details, remember?" Sizilien says.

"I wonder who are those with them. I'm sure when someone's great as Shin and Chin, they're already spoken for. Maybe they're their fiancées," commented the maidens, making both Sizilien and Maria embarrassed.

"We're sorry about this, putting you two through all that," Shin and Chin apologize.

"Oh no, please don't worry about it," Sizilien replied. "We handled more than just remarks and comments, it'll be a snap," Maria assured.

"Maria, Sizilien," both Shin and Chin thought.

"We are here with you by our own initiative," "So we're sharing these burdens together," Sizilien and Maria assured, making Shin and Chin remember their own words of assurance from them.

Time skip: An hour later...

Next Location: Inside the academy...

"We want to master our magic with the heroes' grandsons!" exclaimed one student, crowding with the other students.

'This is a fix. I can't exactly let all of them into the study group,' Alfred thought. "Is there anyone here who can use other-dimensional storage space?" he asks, shocking the group.

"That's the minimum standard. Anyone who can use it can stay here. I'll conduct an entrance exam," Alfred continues.

Next Location: In a certain room within the palace...

"There's a possibility that demonoid is artificially created!?" Dominic questions.

"Yes, Shin and Chin fought him personally and that's what they hypothesized," Diseum confirms.

"Then maybe the sudden recent increase in demons is also...," Dominic continues, getting a nod from Diseum.

"This could be a serious situation," Dennis Willard, the Security Bureau Chief, says.

"Dominic, Dennis, work together and thoroughly investigate this matter. Don't overlook anything!" Diseum commands, with them responding likewise.

Next Location: In the academy study room...

"Please excuse me," says one male student. "Perhaps you two are the students Mr. Marcus admitted into the group," Chin guessed.

"Yes! My name is Mark Bean! My family runs Bean Works, a smithy," replied the orange-haired teen.

"Oh? Bean Works is a pretty well-known outfit you know," Tony comments. "You know of it, Tony?" Shin asks.

"Bean Works' weapons are nice and sharp. I've always wanted one," Tony adds. "Nice, what about you miss?" Chin asks.

"Oh um, I'm Olivia Stone. Mark and i have known each other since when we were kids and my family runs a dining hall called the Brick Oven," the long-haired brunette says.

"The Brick Oven! That's an ultra-famous restaurant! The brick oven gratin served there is the best!" Alice explained.

"I celebrated passing my academy entrance exams at the Brick Oven. And it's amazingly good!" Maria says. "Now I'm kind of jealous, we couldn't get any reservations," Tony adds.

'Hmmm, best gratin and reservations, good good,' Chin thought while noting them down in his small notebook.

"U-um, if you like, all of you can come by, I'll serve you," Olivia suggests.

"Really!? Shin, Chin! These are some incredible new additions!" Alice exclaims. "That's no way to compliment them!" Shin rebukes.

"So son of a blacksmith, does that mean you can make anything?" Chin asks. "Huh? Well, kinda...but I'm the very bottom of the barrel and I've just barely become able to forge knives," Mark explains.

"Oh, if you could make things, I'd have liked to have gotten a new weapon," Shin explained. "Oh no! Wolford, your sword is one that was able to slay a Demonoid! You'd be hard pressed to find something to replace that," Mark explained.

"Actually, I wish to acquire a new weapon as well, a long one like a spear or staff if possible," Chin asks. "But my smithy's weapons don't have anything as strong as your staff," Mark continues.

"But our weapons are just regular weapons," Shin and Chin replied, showing their sword and enchanted collapsible staff, shocking Mark.

"My sword is enchanted with magic that makes the blade to vibrate at ultrasonic speed, allowing me to cut things without using force," Shin explains as he hands his sword to Mark.

"Mine is enchanted to become indestructible as diamond that even the strongest steel like Mithril won't easily chop it in half. It is also enchanted to retract itself so that it may become compact and portable for easy travel," Chin explains, turning his baton into a staff before handing it to Mark.

"I prefer the blade itself to be on the thin side, but they get brittle and break easily, so Iwas hoping to make some improvements," Shin replied.

"I too wanted my staff's shaft to be less thicker, so that it may be lighter and easier to swiftly swing it, but that too makes it fragile, so, can you please?" Chin begs.

"In that case, I can forge one, I'd just have to confer with you while I did so," Mark assures.

"Really!?" "We couldn't ask any finer details just right. Thank you!" Shin and Chin replied.

"Imagine coming up with something like this, too," August says. "Incredible. I thought I was pretty handy at enchanting myself, but now, I'm not so sure," Yuri answers.

"Yuri, you too will be able to do it soon enough," "If you'd like, I could ask Granny to teach you how," Shin and Chin assures.

"Huh!? You mean that!? Oh I'd be thrilled!" Yuri exclaimed and thanked, grasping Shin and Chin's hands, which made Maria jealous and Sizilien pout with irritation.

Next Location: In the Rietsburg Estate entry hall...

"Kurt was visited by a middle-school teacher the day he demonized," reminded one detective. "Sounds worth looking into," says the other detective.

Time skip: Hours later...

Next location: In a certain room of Earlsheid Middle School...

"Mr. Schtrom, I am Security Bureau Investigator, Ault Lieckermann," says the black-haired investigator. "and I am Investigator Carlos Bale," says the brunet investigator.

"Oliver Schtrom is my name," says Schtrom while pouring tea imbued with a magic circle.

"Is that sensory magic? I mean, you have a patch over both your eyes, but your movements are sure and true, so I thought you might be using magic to replace your sight," Ault confirms .

"Well similar to that," Schtrom replied as he laid his cups on the cupboard.

"If you'll pardon me, what happened to your eyes?" Aults asks.

"I was born into a noble family in the empire. However, I was beaten out in a power struggle over family leadership, and exiled to the kingdom. I lost my eyes when one of my family members attacked in an attempt to do away with me, and I was injured," Schtrom explained.

"That right? Forgive me if my question's inconsiderate," Ault asks. "Don't worry, I get that quite often. Anyhow, what brings you here today? I'm sure you didn't come here just to ask me about my eyes," Schtrom asks.

"No, Mr. Schtrom, we understand that you have students with magical aptitude participate in a study group here at school and have fostered some exceptionally talented magicians," Ault points out.

"Yes, what of it?" Schtrom asks. "We heard that you are quite fervent and have invited many students to join the study group," Ault continues.

"Well I am a one-time imperial noble after all. I face more than my share of opposition in the kingdom. I needed to show tangible results to establish myself at this school," Schtrom answers.

"So that is why you invited them," Ault thought out loud. "All of the children part of my study group improved their magic abilities. As a result, they seem to have acknowledged me somewhat lately," Schtrom explains.

"Which would make this incident an unfortunate one for you," Ault guesses.

"Indeed. I never imagined something like this would happen to Kurt," Schtrom comments. "Mr. Schtrom, would it be alright to ask you a favor?" Ault asks. "What favor exactly?" Schtrom asks.

"As it happens, we are currently assembling specialists to try to examine what happened to his demonized body, and we would like you to join them," Ault asks. "Who, me?" Schtrom asks.

"From what I heard, you are a fairly high-level magician. We'd appreciate having you weigh in as well," Ault pleads. "Very well, I will assist," Schtrom agrees and follows him.

Time skip: Hours later...

Next Location: In the school cafeteria...

"Shin, is something on your mind?" Sizilien asks, startling Shin. "What's up?" Chin asks.

"Sorry, just wondering how to improve my sword," Shin answers.

"What kind of sword do you want, Wolford?" Mark asks.

"Well, having a thin blade is one thing, but it is prone to breaking," Shin explains sadly.

"I could enchant the sword, but it has to be proportionally larger for the enchantments to fit, so that would mean you'd need a larger blade," Chin calmly replies, scaring Shin.

"Then can't you like replace it with another sword? You're one of the Wise man's grandsons. You can afford like a ton of swords!" Alice exclaims.

"That's not going to work, we don't get that much allowance," Shin answered.

"Huh? You don't?" Thor asks with surprise.

"Granny told Gramps to not give us too much allowance, just so that we can gain a reasonable sense of the value of money in ourselves," Chin explains.

"That's the guru for you. There's nothing wrong with equipping oneself with either moderation or armor," Julius deadpans.

"That may be true, but…," Shin trails off.

"Maybe it'd be a good idea if we make the blades replaceable, so that the hilt may be reused for a long time. Normally not having the blade firmly attached to the hilt would be bad, but with your sword, you don't have to force the blade" Tony suggested, making Shin, Chin, and Mark open eyes widely.

"Wolford, will you come to our workshop right now? I wanna give that idea a try!" Mark pleads.

"May I join too?" Tony asks.

"I wanna come," August answers. "I think we'll tag along as well," Thor and Julius agreed.

"Sizilien, Maria, will it be alright if we stop by Mark's place?" Chin asks.

"Sure it is," Sizilien replied.

"But then in that case, while all of you are over at the workshop, would it be alright if we stop by at Olivia's?" Maria suggests.

"Actually, you read my mind, you guys could stay there and wait for us," Chin replies, with Maria blushing in response.

"I-I-I just want to ask you all sorts of things, like what can be the new menu items and the other new menu items!" Maria excitingly exclaimed.

"As long as you agree to go easy on me, like a dish of non-cheese gratin,"

'Hmm, interesting,' Chin thought.

Next Location: At the Security Force parade grounds…

Outside, the investigators and Oliver Schtrom get off the carriage and enter inside the grounds.

"If I may ask, why is the examination taking place in the parade grounds?" Schtrom asks.

"We've had our own circumstances to deal with," Ault replies as they enter the parade grounds.

"So where is Kurt's body?" Schtrom asks, and at the spur of the moment, soldiers swiftly appeared to surround Schtrom, along with Dominic. "This doesn't seem like we're going to examine a body," Schtrom points out.

"But we will be examining one: yours," Aunt answers. "Mine?" Schtrom asks.

"Schtrom, you made one error, right after the incident, His majesty issued a gag order: he told us to not make the demonized person's name public. It was done to keep his family name out of it so they would not receive unjust treatment, yet you knew it was Kurt who had demonized. How do you explain that," Ault concludes, making Schtrom uncomfortable and nervous before suddenly laughing hysterically.

"I was not expecting Kurt's name to have been undisclosed. The whole kingdom was in an uproar, so I was sure everyone could've known who it was that had become a demonoid," Schtrom answers gleefully.

"Was the incident your doing? What is your objective?" Ault asks.

"An experiment," Schtrom answered.

"What!? are you saying you conducted experiments on humans!?" Ault hysterically asks.

"Now then, I have completed all the experiments here in the capital, so it's time that I excuse myself," Schtrom replies while summoning magic missiles.

"Seize him!" Ault commands the soldiers.

Next Location: Somewhere outside, close to the parade grounds…

"You and Mark are dating!?" Maria exclaimed with surprise.

"Yes, I've known Mark since we were little, so it just kinda happened," Olivia replied.

"Please tell us about it!" Sizilien pleads playfully. "All of it?" Olivia asks nervously.

"Yeah, like which of you made the first move!" Maria curiously asks until an explosion occurred next to them, scaring the group and prompting them to check inside, where Schtrom battles the Security Bureau and Royal Guards.

"A patch over both his eyes, Aug, could that be–," "Yes, that man is Oliver Schtrom," August answers Shin.

"Ahh, my student Prince August, and the new heroes, Shin Wilford and Chin Bowen, a pleasure to make your acquaintances," Schtrom greets.

"Prince August, Please run away! This man's the culprit behind the demonoid incident!" Ault yells with concern while bruised on the ground.

"What!?" August hysterically reacts.

"So you're the one who demonized Kurt?" Shin asks with rage and a clenched fist.

"Yes! It was fascinating on how he followed every single word from me," Schtrom gleefully answers.

"Is that right?" "Shin! Don't let him get you, calm down and think, let's handle this with care," Chin advised Shin standing next to him, noticing a fireball heading towards their direction.

At that moment, Chin uses his original spell "Iceman" to turn his body into translucent ice and block Schtrom's fireball, making it evaporate and dissipate in the air.

"Chin! Are you–!?" "Alright? Of course, fully testing this new spell I made from reading last books in the library," Chin answers Maria excitingly in his ice form.

"Shin, new plan, let's finish him," Chin answers as Shin nods in agreement and charges at Schtrom with his fireball and sword in hand, battling against Schtrom's magical arsenal.

"Interesting, your sword is magic, correct? In that case, you won't reach me that easily," Schtrom comments as he suddenly levitates in the air, but dodges several water blades flying towards him that cuts through stone and wood.

"Shin won't, but I can," Chin replies while summoning more water cutters and flings them to Schtrom who fires "Dark Flame" at him multiple times.

Chin uses "Frost Dragon Bite", a spell resistant to Flame that forms an ice whip with a dragon's head flung towards Schtrom, only to be smashed into pieces in his hands.

"I was expecting more of a–," Schtrom comments but cuts short from a swift slash to his face patch by Shin's sword, who is hovering with his jet boots before landing safely, revealing Schtrom's blood-red eyes.

"Red...eyes?" Shin questions from the sight.

"Now you've done it Wolford, Bowen, though I'd like to have my identity hidden for longer," Schtrom replies with anger and frustration.

"A demonoid?! With his sense and reason intact?" Shin and Chin thought with surprise.

"Reason? Is that what you assume what makes a person a person? That may be a different case for my standing I'm afraid," Schtrom answers.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chin asks.

"As you all now know that I'm no longer human, humans have been reduced to creatures that mean nothing to me. So whether I kill or exploit them means nothing to me anymore!" Schtrom exclaims with confidence and fires "Dark Flame" at August and the rest, only to be blocked by Chin's "Iceman" armor that slowly transforms and reemerge as a huge behemoth of ice.

"Not while we are here!" Chin yells as he blocks Schtrom's shots before grabbing hold of him tightly, making Schtrom spat blood out.

"Shin! Now!" Chin yells while holding Schtrom still.

"But!–", "Just do it!" Chin cuts off Shin while holding Schtrom struggling in his grasp.

"Thanks Chin!" Shin yells as he summons radiant rays of light from the sky into the holes in the ceiling, piercing and burning Schtrom's body along with Chin in his "Ice Behemoth" armor.

But of the blast wreckage, Chin lays unconscious in the remnants of scorched and melted ice while holding a severed arm that seems to belong to Schtrom.

"Did you get him!?" August yells.

"Hey don't jinx it like that!" Shin yells back.

"Chin!" Maria exclaimed with great worry as she jumps to run toward Chin with the others and Shin catching up.

"No-nono Chin please! Don't die! Please!" Maria cries out to Chin, seeing him wink as a response before slowly opening his eyes.

"Ugh, wha-what happened? Who's there?" Chin asks with squinting eyes.

"Chin, it's me, Maria, remember?" Maria answers.

"Why is...everything so blurry?" Chin asks.

"Ummm, sorry bout that, I think that was the aftereffect of my spell," Shin embarrassingly replies.

"Granny's gonna kill you you know?" Chin deadpan, making the group laugh.

"Hurraaah!" the soldiers chanted cheerfully.

'But it is strange though Shin,' Chin told Shin with his "Telepathic Voice" spell.

'Yeah, even though I don't detect anything with my search magic, did we really get him?' Shin replied back telepathically.

"What's the matter, are you feeling down after killing someone, demonoid though he was?" asked the man in a black coat.

"Ummm, not exactly," Shin replied back nervously.

"Then hold your head high, for you two are the reason the rest of us survived. Thank you, Wolford, Bowen," answered the investigator.

"It is all good," Chin gleefully accepted, until he got crippled by Maria's elbow strike to the waist.

"But still, when we heard of another demonoid appearing, we dashed over, only to see it taken down," Dominic replies.

"Ugghh, and, um…," Chin trails off nervously.

"I am Dominic Gastor, Michel's successor as the knight commander of the order," Dominic introduces.

"Oh yes, I have forgotten to introduce myself as well. My name is Rupert Olgran, captain of the court magic division.

"I've heard about you two from Michel, saying about two young men that he enjoyed training," Dominic comments, making the twins embarrassed and nervous.

"Wolford, Bowen, if I may, I would wish to hear about what you did and how you do you do them?" Rupert asks kindly.

"Well, I…," Wolford tries to explain his spell's scheme, confusing everyone. 'Right, they can't understand,' Shin thought.

"Mine's like Ice magic, but it's my original spell, so not many can replicate it, hehe," Chin answers nervously.

'But still, that explosion, did the ray really cause it?' Shin thought while helping the crippled Chin stand up on his feet.

-To be continued-


	6. Chapter 5

The Magic Twins Ch. 5: Drama and Disaster

Next Location: In the Wolford Manor…

"Ahhhh, the bidet function in toilets really are the high point of civilization," Maria comments before noticing Chin–now wearing thin silver-framed glasses with vision enhancing enchantments– and Melida hiding behind the door and calling her attention,

"What can you make up from those two?" Melida asks.

"Well, they're openly crazy about each other," Maria answers with Chin nodding in agreement.

"They are? So they're already going out now right?" Melida excitingly assumes.

"Well, honestly it's vague," Chin nervously answers.

"Why so?" Melida asks.

"Well for starters, despite them being emotionally involved, Sizilien has no clue that what she's feeling are romantic feelings," Maria answers.

"What makes you say that?" Melida asks.

"She's had boys declaring their for her forever, but she's never accepted any of them, so she doesn't know what it means," Maria answers.

"Then what you're saying is that Shin is probably her first love," Melida assumes.

"Hmm…I can come up with a plan, give me time to think," Chin says.

Time skip: The next day…

Next location: In the streets of Earlsheid…

"Is it still a long way to Bean Works?" asked Sizilien as they're walking.

"We're almost there," Julius replies.

"Still, it's too bad about Tony not being able to come," Thor replies.

"True, but I can relay what may happen for him though," Chin replies.

"What's the matter? You've been frowning for a while," August asks with concern.

"Aug, Chin, I'm afraid Schtrom is still alive," Shin replies sternly.

"What do you mean?" August asks.

"I did feel as if he ripped his arm out of its socket before the ray shot us. However, I believe he didn't leave unscathed," Chin answers.

"Which can only mean…," Maria pauses as she takes Chin's ear then pulls it hard making him scream with excruciating pain.

"Your stupid sacrifice and becoming blind was all for naught!" Maria retorts as she pulls his ear.

"I tried it in the wilderness, but all of it made craters, not explosions," Shin replied.

"It was ow! Probably a ow! A fluke! Ow!" Chin answers while having his ear pulled.

"So then Schtrom is…?" August asks Shin answering with a nod.

"Shin, Chin, whatever you need to get from the smithy, order them, the royal family shall sponsor them," August replies shocking Shin, Chin, Maria, and Sizilien.

"Hearing what you said, you two are the only ones that can stand equal against demons compared to the rest of us. So let's make sure you're outfitted with what you need," August advises.

Next Location: In Bean Works…

"Welcome to Bean Works! Be my guests!" Mark greets.

"Good morning everyone!" Olivia continues.

"Good morning Mark, Olivia," Shin greets back.

"Hold, why are you guys here together so early in the morning," Chin asks, alerting Sizilien and Maria to grab Olivia.

"If you wouldn't mind telling us along right away," Sizilien and Maria asks with aggressive tones.

"Please go easy on me!" Olivia begs.

Next Location: Inside the smithy…

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Mark calls to disturb his father, Harold Bean.

"What do ya want, dumbass? Don't shout at the top of your lungs! In the smithy, I told you to call me "Boss"!" Harold retorts, scaring the group.

"We are sorry to disturb you while you're working, I'm August von Earlsheid," August calmly answers, scaring Harold and his workers to their knees.

"Prince August?!" Harold barely spoke.

"As it happens, Shin and Chin both need to develop some weapons," August negotiates.

"These boys–young men's weapons you say?" Harold clarifies.

"I believe introductions are in order. This is Shin Wolford and he is Chin Bowen, grandsons of the Wise Man Merlin and Guru Melida," August introduces.

"G-g-grandsons of the wise man and guru?! The ones that defeated the recent demonoid attacks?! " Harold exclaims.

"So? Will you help them?" August asks.

"Well, sure! By all means! There is no better prestige than for us to forge the new heroes' weapons! So then, what weapon would we be making?" Harold asks.

"Shin, Chin, your call," August says.

"Alright, yes," the twins responded.

Next Location: In the Blusfia Empire Fortress…

"Zest, where did you receive your information about the kingdom of Earlsheid?" asks the Blusfian Emperor.

"I'm working with someone within the kingdom, telling me that the whole kingdom is in a commotion over the proliferation of demons," Zest the confidant answers.

"Heh, this may finally be my chance to take over the kingdom," the emperor arrogantly guesses.

"I very much hope so," Zest compliments.

"Hmph, I don't need the wishes of a lowly commoner like you. Although, you have been very useful for gathering information. You should be honored," the emperor states.

"Yes, it is my humble pleasure," Zest retorts.

Time skip: The next day…

Next Location: At Bean Works…

"Well then, we leave the rest to you," Shin replies before leaving the smithy with the group.

"Sure!" Harold assures.

"Have you finished explaining it to him?" Sizilien asks with Maria and Olivia.

"Yeah, what about you?" Shin asks.

"Well, you might say that," Maria answers with a fatigued Olivia in tow.

"Ooookay, hm? What do you sell out here?" Chin asks, looking at the second and third floors of the smithy.

"The second floor is housewares, and the third floor is accessories and stuffs," Mark answers.

"Accessories huh?" Shin thought.

"Is something the matter?" Sizilien asks.

"Oh nothing, just wondering what accessory you would like," Shin answers.

"A-a-accessories you say!? Like a, a ring or something? Ahh, but that may be too sudden, so a necklace would be better for now, but bracelets would be easy to pass up too. Oh, and earrings," Sizilien rapidly thought out loud.

"You really want them that much?" Shin nervously asks.

"N-no! It's not like that, I was just wondering what I would like," Sizilien answered nervously.

"Well, I was that accessories with defense enchantments would be pretty effective," Shin suggests.

"Ah, I suppose so," Sizilien replies depressingly.

"Huh?!" Shin thought, making Chin face-palm and the group stare at him with disappointment.

"You can't pull something like that," August replied.

"How could you get her hopes up? Are you some kind of monster?" Thor retorted.

"Poor Sizilien," Maria comments.

"Huh? Huh!? Ah, the way I asked…Sizilien!" Shin called.

"Yes Shin?" Sizilien asked tearfully.

Next Location: In the Bean Works' Accessory Floor…

"I-I'm sorry, it's almost as if I'm being too pushy," Sizilien embarrassingly replied.

"It's fine, I'm not bothered by that. Actually, I'm bothered by you! What are you doing here!?" Shin replies and points out to Chin next to Sizilien.

"I wanted to scan around and find anything interesting. I have some things I wanted to do for fun and such, just do your own thing. Although, I'm uneasy when it comes to involving Shin in stuff, hehe," Chin teases and explains making Sizilien laugh.

"Hey! Anyways, I do kinda want to buy an accessory for you Sizilien," Shin explained, making Sizilien blush with embarrassment.

"I'll do the enchanting, choose anything," Shin says.

"But um, would you mind choosing?" Sizilien asks.

"Eh? You can choose whichever you like. Atah! Eh!?" Shin explained and screamed from a nudge at the back and being dragged by Chin aside for a moment.

"What did I do?" Shin whispers to Chin.

"This is a big chance man, you should do the choosing, it's a precious moment and memory for her, granting you more bonus points!" Chin whispered back.

"Um, Shin, please, I can't decide myself," Sizilien asks.

"Well um, okay…lets see…how about this one," Shin replied staring at a partially open silver ring studded with two small sapphires, making Sizilien gasp with excitement.

"I think it will look good on you, miss," says the clerk lady.

"Yeah, what do you think Chi–Chin?" Shin asks then finds Chin sketching in his notepad while looking at a certain pendant and ring set.

"Okay…this one please," Shin asks and buys the ring.

"As you wish," says the salesclerk and hands the ring in the box to Shin and takes the payment.

"Okay um, Sizilien," Shin asks embarrassingly as he leans near Sizilien, who's extending her hand to Shin, then slips the ring into her ring finger.

Sizilien then looks satisfied and content with the ring Shin gave.

"This ring will keep you safe," Shin says while comforting and assuring SIzilien with his warm hands.

"Great, so when can you guys hook–bleghk!" Chin pauses and faints from Shin's enchanted backfist strike, rendering him partially unconscious for minutes.

Time skip: The next day on the the twins' Day of Awarding Ceremony…

Next Location: In the Earlsheid Royal Palace…

" Man the actual awarding day ceremony is here. Oof!" Shin thought until he felt a nudge on his side.

"C'mon brother, we made it this far," Chin cheers.

"Master Wolford, Master Bowen, sorry to keep you waiting," says a royal confidant.

"This is it then," Shin thought before following the confidant.

"Let's do this," Chin thought as he follows Shin to the door near the throne room door that slowly opens.

"The valorous men who saved our kingdom, and our new heroes: Shin Wolford and Chin Bowen have arrived!" announced the speaker, motioning the crowd of nobles and aristocrats to clap for their arrival.

'Hey, seriously!?' Shin thought uneasily while Chin reacts with an ill feeling as they walk towards Diseum to kneel in reverence.

"Shin Wolford, Chin Bowen, your labors in this matter have been truly exemplary. I confer upon both of you the First Order of Merit.

"I most humbly accept," Shin answered nervously as he earns his medallion.

"I am deeply honored of such reward," Chin answered calmly as he earns his medallion.

"Well done both of you," Diseum comments.

"It is my humbly pleasure–ah!" both Shin and Chin replied with shock and embarrassment.

"Ladies and gentlemen, hear my words. Shin Wolford and Chin Bowen are the grandsons of my friends, Merlin the Wise Man and Melida the Guru! When I invited him to the kingdom to attend the Magic Academy, I made a promise to the Wise Man and the Guru, that I would not exploit them for political or military gain! If that promise is broken, their heroic household will depart this land! Hence, under no circumstances forget this point!" Diseum announces.

'Whoa, he really did tell everyone about the promise,' Shin thought to himself.

'At least I get to stay with Maria once more,' Chin thought with relief.

Time skip: The next day…

Next Location: In the Wolford Manor…

"Ahhhh," Shin yawns while walking with Maria, Chin and Sizilien in the corridors.

"Are you exhausted, Shin?" Sizilien asks.

"After yesterday's awarding ceremony, there was this party, this function, and other stuff," Shin recounts.

"But how come Chin is lively?" Maria asks.

"That's because I meditate and clear my mind before I sleep at an earlier hour," Chin answers while reading a history book about ancient magic theories.

"So that's why I heard really loud snores after returning from the bathroom last night," Shin said teasingly.

"Gh, please don't mention that man, it's embarrassing," Chin whimpers at Shin, making Sizilien and Maria giggle.

"I do recall Maria snoring loudly whenever we had sleepovers back then," Sizilien recalls.

"Gah hey Sizilien! That was in the past!" Maria barks with embarrassment.

'So cuuuute!' Chin thought as he and Shin opened the front door to notice a huge crowd outside the gates.

"Hey look, it's the heroes! Ahhhh! Shin looks striking! Chin looks dashing! Please look over here!" yelled the crowd of fans getting a door shut from the twins as their answer.

"How come!?" Shin asks.

"Well, you got your award, but because of His Majesty's consideration, you weren't presented to the public. So that's why they're descending upon your house now," Maria stated.

"Does this mean we can only travel with Gate…?" Chin depressingly deadpans.

"Right, we can't get to the academy on foot now," Shin says.

Next Location: In the S-Rank classroom…

"Phew, gwah!" Shin screamed from nearly bumping Yuri's bosom, startling her in the process.

"Whoa, what magic is that!?" Tony asks.

"It's unbelievable! What's going on?" Lyn asks.

"Oh um, there was a huge house outside the mansion and we couldn't leave," Shin said.

"So we used Gate, Shin's spell to get here," Chin answered.

"Kind of expecting that," August deadpans.

"Gate?! What is that? Tell me more!" Lyn asks.

"This magic is what I call Gate, a magic that connects two places at once," Shin explains.

"Amazing! To think that you can even use teleportation magic!" Lyn astounds.

"It's not teleportation magic, it's relocation magic," Shin corrects.

"What?" Lyn questions.

"There's a slight difference though between Relocation and Teleportation, or Blink as I call. Gate reduces the travelling distance between two places that can hold for periods of time and requires an object to move itself whereas Teleportation happens at an instant or the blink of an eye to relocate or transfer the object itself," Chin explains.

"…?" Lyn pauses.

"Observe," Chin says as he uses his chant-less spell and vanishes in front of Maria and reappears sitting in his seat in class.

"Like so," Chin replies.

"Whoa!?" exclaimed the whole class excluding Shin.

"Yeah, even Grandpa doesn't understand them," Shin points out.

"Not even the Wise Man?" Lyn clarifies.

"But you guys might be able to learn it too, you are in the study group after all," Chin cheers.

"Mm! I shall do my best!" Lyn answers.

"Hmmm, I should hold a training boot camp soon and put everyone through the wringer–ouch!" Shin thought until Chin's slap to his head came to him.

"I had a feeling you were thinking of something harsh, and I understand your sentiment, but try to keep that to a minimum, especially while I'm around, alright?" Chin clarifies.

'He's up to no good again,' August thought.

Time skip: Many conversations later…

"You want us to level up?" Alice asks.

"You looked like you dreamt something up, and now we know what," August deadpans.

"There have been a string of strange incidents lately, right?" Shin retorted.

"We've managed to get you through them, but now we can help you get through them yourselves to get ready for the next thing that comes along," Chin states.

"Makes sense, not weird as I thought it'd be," August comments.

"Hey!" both Shin and Chin exclaimed.

"So then, what are you planning to do this "level-up"?" August questions.

"We're having all of you get proficient at a certain level of attack and defense magic, support magic, and enchant some defensive magic accessories," Chin explains.

"Oooh! Like Sizilien's ring," Maria points out making Sizilien blush.

"Ahem! How about we start by seeing how much magic power you can control," Shin says.

"Magic control? Why so?" Julius asks.

"How come? Higher level magic requires proportionate magic control right?" Shin clarifies.

"Precisely, it's suicide to the caster or the casted if both don't have the appropriate magic control to use high ranking magic," Chin adds.

"Wait, I thought higher level magic requires you to devise chants and more precise visualizations," Thor clarifies.

"Well, you're not wrong about the visualizations being necessary, but it is also possible to not require chants in using higher magic," Chin points out.

"Yes, but to use magic, you need the magic power to act as fuel, and to use higher level magic, you have to be able to control enough magic power, or else…," Shin pauses and gets pulled by Chin.

"Shin, we're not getting anywhere, so take it easy when teaching the basics," Chin whispers.

"Yeah, we need to change their perception from square one," Shin whispers back.

"Worst case scenario would be letting Gramps and Granny teach them," Chin whispers worryingly.

"Yeah…anyway, everyone, gather around. Maria, conjure up a magic barrier for us," Shin asks.

"Huh, okay," Maria agrees and makes a thin magic barrier.

"Hmmm, nope, too thin. This won't defend against very hard magic attacks. Sorry to be blunt about that," Chin comments.

"Huh!?" Maria exclaimed.

"Sizilien, would you activate the defensive magic from the ring I enchanted earlier and conjure up a barrier?" Shin asks.

"Oh, sure!" Sizilien agrees and forms a double-layered barrier with the rings enchanment.

"Wow, amazing!" Alice exclaimed.

"Double-layers?!" Thor astounds.

"Ah, it's enchanted with a physical barrier as well!" Yuri points out.

"This is enchanted with my control visualization. It gathers the necessary magic power to that end and projects it," Shin replies.

"Truthfully, this controlled magic power is incredible," August comments.

"Schtrom used magic barriers to block attacks from me and Chin," Shin stated.

"Magic barriers are walls made of magic power and are the easiest to make, right?" Alice asks.

"I always thought it was some other, more powerful magic," Thor clarifies.

"With enough magic power, you can defend against magic well enough with just a magic barrier," Shin says.

"Unless you impartially give people enchanted items that can make up for weaker magic control," Chin deadpans, embarrassing Sizilien.

"Shut up Chin! Anyway, would you like to show you a portion of the magic power that I can control?" Shin asks.

"Um, I'd advise you to not do it man, too risky," Chin says.

"Would you demonstrate then?" Shin suggests.

"I'd rather not man, but, your choice," Chin surrenders.

In that moment, Shin concentrates all his control in gathering magic power and focusing it with his magic control, overwhelming the whole class, excluding Chin, with dense magic power in the room before it dissipates in a matter of seconds.

"If you can't control that kind of magic power, you can't get anywhere–ow," Shin explains before Chin slaps his head once more.

"Shin, couldn't you tone it down to just five percent or lower than that intensity, let alone you nearly broke the girls' minds from concentrating that much power," Chin points out.

"Okay okay, just don't tell Granny please. Anyway, with that in mind, we're going to practice magic control everyday. No slacking off," Shin orders and gets the class to agree.

Next Location: In the Blusfia Empire…

"Ho, so the kingdom is preparing to go to war now?" Schtrom asks.

"Yes, the imperial army's movements are quite overt, so they realized it immediately," Miria reports.

"Seems that Zest did well. So, what do you think will happen, Miria?" Oliver asks.

"That is, difficult for me to say, Master Schtrom," Miria replied.

"Huhum, dance well, everyone, " Oliver thought to himself before laughing maniacally.

Time skip: The next day…

Next Location: In the Wolford Manor…

"Oh, Shin, Chin," Melida noticed as they returned home with classmates using Gate.

"We're home," Shin replied.

"Ah! It's the Wise Man!" Alice exclaimed.

"Oh! And the Guru too!" Lyn exclaimed.

"How thrilling!" Yuri exclaimed.

"Shin, Chin, why are you bringing so many friends here, is something the matter?" Merlin asks.

"When we were leaving at the academy, there was a crowd by the school gate. This is becoming quite bothersome," Chin replied with Maria, Sizilien, and Shin nodding in agreement.

"Hahahahahahaha, it will die down before long, I'm sure of it," Merlin assures.

Time skip: After minutes of explanations…

"Ho? So you've started magic training under Shin and Chin's direction?" Merlin clarifies.

"Yes, though Shin was awfully pushing us right from the start," Thor replies.

"The wise man is the one who taught both Shin and Chin their magic right? So does that make us the second-generation students?!" Alice clarifies.

"We're also the wise man's grandsons' first-generation students too," Julius confirms.

"This is getting harder to follow," Lyn comments.

"Well, I am the first to have taught Shin the most for sure while Melida taught Chin, but they both have their own way of visualizing things," Merlin answers.

"What do you mean by that?" Lyn asks.

"Both of them don't visualize the magic's outcome, but rather, the process. Do any of you why a fire burns or why water cools?" Merlin asks.

"Um, is it because you set it on fire?" Alice answers.

"I don't think that's what he meant," Olivia replies.

"If you ask why exactly, we can't give a definite answer," August answers.

"I don't know either," Merlin answers, throwing everyone except Melida off guard.

"But Shin and Chin always raise those questions. What is water and fire? Why do they evaporate when combined? Hence, they are searching for not the outcome; he grasps the mechanisms to get there to dream new visualizations that have never been done before, creating more powerful magic. Like this," Merlin explains before demonstrating Shin's Gate in front of everyone.

"Grandpa, that is ," Shin awes.

"Or this," Merlin demonstrates by vanishing and appearing behind Melida instantaneously.

"Gramps, did you just," Chin awes.

"It sure wasn't easy but thanks your descriptions using paper, I finally figured them out. So you see, Shin and Chin aren't the only ones who can use their magic. If you understand their mechanisms, use the right visualizations and control the sufficient magic power, all of you can use it. They may not be conventional, but it does not mean they're impossible either," Merlin encourages.

"Grandpa/ Gramps, thank you," both twins thought to themselves.

Time skip: After minutes when the room is very vacant leaving Melida and Merlin to themselves…

"Merlin, every once in a while, you do have your moments," Melida comments.

"What do you mean "once in a while"?" Merlin asks.

"You learned how to use their magic for their sakes, right?" Melida points out.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asks again.

"It seems like every time the boys use their magic, they get labeled to be extreme or abnormal," Melida says.

"That is true," Merlin agrees.

"But when you were able to use their magic, one could say aren't special cases. Those are good things for others to see too, is it not? Their eyes are all lit to know that they too can use our boys' magic. There's no reason for them to be alone," Melida says.

"You think so?" Merlin asks, with Melida nodding in agreement.

Time skip: The next day…

Next Location: In the academy…

"Um Lyn, what happened to you?" Shin breaks the silence with a question.

"I was practicing magic control, but it got out of hand," Lyn replies.

"Out of hand!? You alright?" Chin asks with concern.

"It normally happens, no problem at all," Lyn assures.

"But there must have been damage in your surroundings right? I mean, your hair is cinched," Chin says.

"My father is a court magician. We have a practice room, so no issues if I lose control," Lyn assures.

"So you do this all the time? You're quite the unbridled magical girl aren't you," Shin points out.

"I like that! From now on, I'm the Unbridled Magical Girl," Lyn excitingly declares, making both Shin and Chin uneasy with her title.

"Good morning Lyn!" Alice greets.

"No, it's Unbridled Magical Girl," Lyn says, making Alice confused and the twins face-palm.

Next Location: At Bean Works smithy…

"Oh you're here! Your prototypes are finished!" Harold Bean replies while leaving the weapon prototypes of steel swords and a silver shining staff on the table.

"You just gotta leave it to a professional!" Shin comments.

"That was quick," Chin adds.

"Haha, well of course! Well, for Wolford's sword, try to push the trigger on the hilt," Harold says to Shin, making him push the small lever, unlocking the sword blade off of the hilt like a gun magazine.

"Whoa, it came out," Shin awes.

"This is incredible! To be able to witness Bean Works' new creation!" Tony replied with astonishment.

"What do you mean by that? You're the one who came up with this idea," Shin answers back.

"Now for master Bowen's, try to apply a bit of your magic into the staff," Harold says.

"Okay," Chin says then applies magic power into the staff, making the ends of the staff glow and form magic double-edged blades at both ends.

"Whoa! It became a spear!" Thor points.

"No, it's a double-glaive. A weapon made two halberd heads. But in this case, its called a sword staff," Chin explains.

"Ooooh! Like a light saber staff right!?" Shin excitingly answers Chin who answered yes with a nod.

Next Location: In the streets…

"Finished with your errands?" Maria asks while waiting with the other girls.

"Yup, we got some presents for keeping you waiting," Chin replies with a full bag in hand.

"Eh!? What are they, what are they!?" Alice eagerly asks with curiosity.

"Accessories for all of you," Shin replied.

"Ah! Just like before!" Lyn answered, making SIzilien sigh in response.

"Ho? You gonna enchant them again? Why don't I lead this time?" Chin suggests confidently.

"But I was in this idea, you can just sit back for now," Shin answered with aggressiveness in the last bit.

"Hm, I think I can enchant them while you work on their training for the latter," Chin answered calmly yet with an aggressive answer.

"Let's settle this matter elsewhere next time, shall we?" Shin suggests to Chin, who nodded in agreement, both giving off frightening demon like auras in the atmosphere.

"Good grief, why did I have a crush on a lunatic," Maria sulks at the side.

"Well, at least we have more in common than usual Maria. Ehehe," Sizilien nervously replies.

"But if you have one for everyone, would that include the boys too…?" Olivia clarifies.

"The guys won't be getting rings," Shin answers, depressing the guys.

"Shin, about your swords, I'm thinking of having our army adopt them, too. Do you mind?" August asks.

"Um, I don't think Granny would be alright with that," Shin replies.

"I think he only wants the sword itself, excluding the enchantments in 'em like your vibration blade," Chin clarifies.

"Yes, I want to use them as the general issue swords. It may require modifications, but if we can mass produce them, it may cut our risks and losses at a great rate," August replies.

"The idea for the sword was Tony's, so if he's fine with it, then it's okay," Shin replies.

"Thank you, but as for your staff Chin, I'd like to issue them to the court mages as their emergency weaponry. However, I may need to require you to teach them on how to use them in a proper manner. So is it fine with you?" August asks Chin.

"Hmmm, from the looks of it, I may need to handpick those court mages you mentioned to see if they got the aptitude for the skills, because the staff will be useless if it's just used as a spear or whacking stick," Chin answers.

"Just to be clear though, why are you asking?" Shin asks.

"The truth is, war is getting close," August answers.

"I knew it, some customers often say the same thing in passing," Olivia confirms.

"War!? With whom?" Shin asks.

"The Blusfia Empire," August answers.

"But why with the empire?" Chin asks.

"You should ask them. Apparently there have been massive build-ups to go to war in the empire," August replies.

"If a drawn-out war breaks out, we students may be enlisted too," Thor adds, scaring the group.

"Well, it hasn't started yet, there's no point to get so worked up about that. Especially for you two, Shin, Chin. Demonoid attacks are one thing, but we will never drag the both of you into fighting a war. That is military appropriation," August replies.

"I'm sorry, but I beg to differ," Chin replied as he tilted his glasses slightly.

"I'm sorry?" August asks.

"Agreed, if the kingdom dares to drag students into the war, putting all of you at risk, then we will take the battlefield," Shin replies, enlightening everyone in the group, making Sizilien blush

"You guys are some of the only people that we can't live without. So why not we stick with each other till the end?" Chin adds, raising up morale, putting Maria at ease.

-To be continued-


	7. Chapter 6

The Magic Twins Ch. 6: Preparations and Prejudice

Next Location: In the S-ranked classroom of the Magic Academy…

"As His Majesty has announced, Schtrom has been in sight lately in the imperial capital. Things are still unclear with the current situation, so we don't have any specific strategies, but we'll need to bolster our fighting strength. Hence, not only the military and the royal palace will commence preparations for the ongoing war against the empire, but we students will be preparing for enlistment in case of emergencies. This will also mean the Magic Academy and the Knight Academy will be commencing joint training sessions soon to ensure coordination between knights and magicians, that is all the news for now. Take a break," Alfred lectures before leaving the classroom.

"Hmm, huh? Why are you all having funny expressions?" Shin bluntly points out to the class excluding Chin.

"Oh right, you two still haven't known yet," August deadpans.

"Why so? Is there bad blood between schools?" Chin asks out of innocent curiosity.

"The reason is because the Magic Academy focuses on strengthening magic, so we don't have to do physical training," Maria sighs as she explains.

"Hmm, makes sense, but why are you guys uneasy?" Chin thought out loud bluntly.

"Well, the thing is physical training is the aim of the Knight Academy," Maria explains.

"The total opposite?" Shin repeats, getting a nod from Alice and Lyn.

"Grrrgh, seriously, from that notion, they call us bean sprouts. It's so infuriating!" both Alice and Lyn groan out of frustration.

"Hmmm, wait till Shin comes to training. They will eat their words like dried meat, " Chin jokes, hardly containing his laughter from imagining the possibility.

"Geez! Don't say it as if I am a monster!" Shin answers back with great embarrassment.

"But both of you are monsters, " the entire S-class batch deadpans.

"Well now, I think we can show them what we're finally made of this time! We just gotta be more tactful, composed and just give our best shot, right guys?" Chin rallies, feeling awkward from the dead silence.

"I agree with you. Let's just try not to create more hostility with our appointed teams, " Sizilien explains softly to the class, sounding convincing to the class.

"Still, those muscle heads just flaunt their attitudes praising their strengths arrogantly that it makes me sick! Graaagh!" Maria cries agitatedly.

"Well, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses right? We can totally complement each other in that case–"

"But both of you, on the other hand, can use both sword and magic, can't you?!" Maria barks at Shin, shaming his perks.

"Well I-"

"Actually, only he trained in the sword, I did with a staff or spear sometimes, but never with the sword, " Chin explains to clarify a slight misunderstanding.

"So Shin, were the both of you by any chance trained by a knight?" Sizilien curiously asks.

"Actually, we went through hell under Uncle Michel, and his training was extremely strict!" Chin grumbles from remembering the painful experiences under his tutelage.

"It wasn't that bad, he was just pretty strict, " Shin differs.

"How was that not bad!? Are you that tolerant to–ummmm?" Chin barks before pausing towards an uneasy crowd.

"Ummm, did we say something unusual again?" Shin clarifies nervously.

"Mr. Michel? Are talking about "the" Michel Colling?!" Tony interrogates.

"Y-yes?" Chin answered nervously.

"You mean the Michel?! Former knight commander of the order?!" Julius asks out of excitement.

"H-he did mention something of that sort, " Shin answered nervously.

"Waaaah, you're taught magic from the Wise man, then item enchanting by the Guru, but you have learned swordsmanship from the Sword Saint?!" Yuri cries out of furious despair.

"Sword Saint?" the twins wonder.

"Did you not know? No one is on par with the sword of Michel Colling, that is why he's known as the Sword Saint, " Thor explains, further shaming the twins for their ignorance.

"He was one helluva teacher if only you guys experienced it firsthand, " Chin answers back.

"Buuuut, if you two studied under the Sword Saint, then the students from the Knight Academy can't say anything about you guys, " Alice points out.

"I wouldn't be so sure. You're supposed to be a magician, so "how dare you get trained by the Sword Saint?" They might get jealous and hostile to them, " August illustrates, dampening the rowdy girls' moods.

"Anyways!" Shin surprises.

"I think we could use a little joint training. We got the same objectives to follow, so let's put all this animosity away and just ignore what they have to say about us, 'kay?" Chin calmly suggests.

"Not a chance!" Alice and Maria barked, scaring Chin even more.

"This might take a while…, " Shin and Chin thought in depression.

Next Location: Outside the gateway to the capital…

"Four students from each school in teams of eight, exterminating demons in the forest, " Shin wonders from the instructions.

"It serves to control the demon population for efficient combat training, " August explains.

"I'm apprehensive about fighting demons, but being with you will be reassuring!" Sizilien replies.

"Hey, this is training, Sizilien. So you have to take part in this activity, " Shin corrects.

"Shin, have you forgotten that she is as delicate as a flower? Have a sense of decency man, " Chin answers back, hitting Shin from his remark, making the magicians' group burst in laughter.

"So those are the legendary twins?" says a swordsman knight from afar.

"They're just magicians, " answered another swordsman.

"Sprouts are still sprouts, " the swordswoman comments.

"Just hope they won't drag us down, " the third swordsman comments, all of which are depressing the lively atmosphere.

"See? Jerks, right?" Maria points out.

"Now I really have an urge to give them a piece of my mind, " Chin, holding his anger down, confesses as he brings out his new metal-crafted staff.

Next Location: In a carriage where Shin, Maria, August, and Sizilien aboard with four students from the Knight Academy…

"I'm Kreis Lloyd, first-year top seat of the Knight Academy Institute," the blond swordsman introduced.

"I'm second seat Miranda Wallace," the swordswoman introduced.

"Neun Curtis," the green-haired swordsman introduced.

"Kent McGregor," the skinhead swordsman introduced.

"It just had to be the same group from earlier," Shin lamented before getting serious. "Anyway, mind if I ask you something?" he asked.

"What is it?" Kreis replied.

"Have any of you ever fought a demon before?" Shin blatantly asks.

"What? Are you trying to brag just because you fought a demonoid?" Miranda asks with a hint of hostility in her tone.

"That's not what I'm doing! I mean, we are going out to fight demons after all. If we don't set aside our differences in the middle of this training activity–"

"So what if we do!?" Miranda yelled.

"You will die," Shin bluntly answered with a furious tone, causing the student knights to become uneasy.

"Shut up! The fact is, the Knight Academy is the only group necessary to take down these demons!" Miranda explained frantically.

"Miranda is correct. Do your best to not slow us down, will you?" Kreis agreed, infuriating Maria.

'Dammit Chin, why do you have to leave me all alone right here and not see how annoying these guys really are!?" Maria thought to herself with her arms and face crossed.

"Is this how you guys really view this training?" August retorts.

"Ah no! We do not mean to imply that you would hamper us, Your Highness," Kreis regrets.

"That is not what I mean. This training is meant to strengthen the connection between the Magic Academy and the Knight Academy schools," August explained sternly.

"B-but that is…," Kreis trailed off.

"You understand that, but you're still not convinced. Fine then. Shin, we won't need you to take down any demons for us throughout this training period," August orders, shocking Shin with his blunt command.

"Roger that Auggy," Chin replies through his original magic "Telepathic Voice," shocking August from the hidden voice.

"Don't panic, this is just another one of my original spells. I'll explain later, but I'll follow your call for the meantime. You guys take care, and uh, please watch over Maria. Not that I am very anxious of anything happening to her, but what she might do out of her anger! So please and thank you," Chin replies with a slight embarrassed tone before deactivating the spell.

"Your Highness, are you–"

"I'm fine, just felt something that startled me, but anyways: go ahead and try to defeat a demon without a magician's backup. I hope you will learn the significance from this training," August lectures, making the student knights uneasy.

Next Location: In a deeper part of the forest…

"We're pretty deep into this forest," Shin wonders.

"We did end up training in an area of greater risk, based on our abilities. It might have been worse if we have Chin in the same team," August points out, shaming Shin and his brother for their monstrous magic power.

"Well either way, this means that stronger demons will have higher chances to appear around these parts," Maria points out.

"I thought there was supposed to be an advisor accompanying each team," Sizilien wonders.

"Yo Shin! Looking forward to working with you today," Siegfried called from afar along with Christina, startling Shin with their appearance.

"Big Brother Sieg?! Big Sister Chris?!" Shin calls out, seeing them respond with smiles.

"Please don't bicker, I'm begging you two," Shin pleads with his depressed downcast face.

"As long as he/she doesn't start anything," the duo bickered, depressing Shin with their response.

"Haaah!?" the two childish adults bickered.

"I just asked you guys!? And wait, why didn't either of you choose to advise the group Chin is participating in!?" Shin cries out.

"Oh about that, I think your brother will be just fine since he has more of a mind than you," Siegfried admits, verbally-stabbing Shin with his honesty.

"I think he will do quite alright since he's got some self-restraint," Christina adds, verbally-stabbing Shin indirectly.

"I-I'm their classmate, Maria. Lord Siegfried, c-could I shake your hand?" Maria stuttered fidgetly as she attempted to shake his hand.

"N-no fair! C-could I do the same!?" Miranda pleaded bashfully.

"And me–I mean my name is Kreis Lloyd!" Kreis excitedly greets.

"I'm Neun! I would appreciate it if you watched my heroics today!" Neun replied childishly.

I-I'm Kent!" Kent excitedly greets.

"What is happening!?" Shin anxiously asks from the sight of Siegfried and Christina's sudden flocking of attention by students from both schools.

"Oh haven't you heard? They are both quite popular in both schools," Sizilien answered, astounding Shin by his childhood visitors.

"They are, after all, a knight and magician entrusted with my father's safety," August explained.

"Waaah, well, with Big Brother Sieg, I can understand his popularity being a swashbuckler and all, but Big Sister Chris comes as a surprise," Shin deadpans, stirring up her anger from afar as she heard his remark.

Next Location: In the deepest part of the forest…

"What? Let the knights fight the demons alone first?" Siegfried questions as he strolls alongside Shin.

"At their request. They don't see the significance of this training through words alone," August explained.

"This is a usual occurrence between knights and magicians when first enlist," Christina adds.

"People who can fight on their own without any help?" Siegfried clarifies.

"Well, once they experience combat firsthand, they will soon realize their mistake and hopefully learn their lesson from this exercise," she says.

"As long as they're still in school getting knocked and pushed around, it will save them some trouble eventually," Siegfried replies before turning to the magicians group. "I can't say the same for your group though," he admits.

"There is one who remains unconvinced of the matter whatsoever," August replied, giving Maria an awkward look.

"W-what do you mean!?" Maria wondered.

"Oh it's nothing Messina. I do think you understand the meaning of this exercise," August replied.

"Well yeah, I've seen Shin and Chin fight demonoids recently, and I obviously cannot do what they both can," Maria admits after reminiscing the battles and the powers Shin and Chin are capable of wielding. "With my strength, I can't fight a powerful foe without help from a knight or swordsman–"

"Your name is Maria, correct?" Siegfried replies, getting Maria's full attention. "It's good that you recognize where your current level of ability is. You'll improve that way," he praised, flattering the infatuated Maria before feeling a chill down his spine by someone familiar from afar.

After the small talk, they slowly tread carefully to avoid getting separated and lost in the darker parts of the forest.

"Why are they always on their guard? I'm not picking up anything on my search magic," Shin wonders from the knights' odd composure.

"They aren't so much on guard as they are tense," Siegfried points out.

"Can't blame them. This is their first time hunting demons after all," Christina adds.

Suddenly, an eerie chill came onto Shin as they tread deeper into the dark part of the forest while within the range of his search magic.

"Big Brother Sieg," Shin warns.

"Understood. Okay, Knight Academy students, a demon is approaching nearby. Prepare for battle!" Siegfried announces, intimidating the students from his warning.

Gradually, sounds of trotting and pounding on the dried soil closes in front of the intimidated Knight Academy students. From the source of the noise came out a demon boar, exuding an aggressive and malevolent aura, rushing towards the supposed source of magic power; only to be blocked by the student knights.

"A boar!?" Maria exclaimed.

"Damn, if only it were not demonized, it would've made a tasty meal!" Shin curses.

With a menacing roar, the student knights flinched by the sheer size and monstrous strength it possesses.

"Don't panic! Let's show it what we top-seated knights are capable of!" Miranda rallies.

The student knights attempt their joint attack against the demon boar, not knowing the supernatural enhancement that "Demonization" adds to its strength, speed, and agility. Within moments, the demon boar brought down the students of the Knight Academy to show its terrifying power and ability, despite being only a demon boar.

"So...this is what...a demon is…" Kreis realizes while covered in bruises from the demon boar's ruthless attacks.

Soon, the demon boar attempts another attack as it rushes towards the downed student knights, causing them to freeze out of fear. However, at that spur of the moment, Shin quickly steps in and decapitates the demon boar before it could do any further harm while enlightening the student knights out of their arrogance.

"O-one blow?" Kreis sat dumbfounded from the scene he had witnessed.

"That was poor showing," Christina reprimanded, shocking the student knights. "This demon was a weaker one among its varieties. Yet, look at you all. Boasting that you are students from the Knight Academy, but really, you're all just students who know nothing of the battlefield. You're all weak, take that to heart and join in with the rest of this exercise," Christina sternly ordered, depressing the arrogant knights.

"U-um, I'm going to perform restoration magic, so please do not move," Sizilien requested, surprising the ones that used to antagonize her and the other magicians.

"Sorry, even after we looked down on all of you," Kreis replied, taken aback from her kind gesture.

"That doesn't bother me at all, we are in the same party after all. This is the least I can do," Sizilien answered, making the male student knights fall for her kindness and gentle beauty.

"Now, now, I think this is nothing to worry about Shin," August slyly assured, making the jealous Shin even more furious.

As a result of the moment earlier, the knights fawning over Sizilien did nice gestures lately as they traveled deeper into the forest once more. The very sight of them continues to anger the jealous Shin over the girl he is infatuated with.

"Hey, don't get upset," August reminded.

"I'm not getting upset," the jealous cross-eyed Shin replied.

"Well you are. If you're that upset, what if you said: "Sizilien is my woman, so hands off!" Like that," August slyly suggested with a straight face, startling Shin.

"W-what are you saying!?" Shin exclaimed.

"Now now, guys like them easily fall for women that have been kind to them. There's another delicate girl from the Magic Academy here too you know!?" Maria ranted.

"Those guys never treated me the way they're treating her, either," Miranda exhaled.

"I beg to differ on your part, Maria. Aren't you forgetting someone?" August slyly asks, making Maria blush out of embarrassment before barking back for his remark.

"Sh-shut it!" she barked.

"Hey everyone, stop dawdling around and get ready. Another demon is about to show," Siegfried announced.

"Wait, isn't this awfully a lot of them?" Shin questions with the vast number of auras he detected with his search magic.

"Indeed, there are quite a few of them yes," Siegfried clarifies in a serious tone.

"Plus, I sense a higher reading among them," Shin adds.

"Lord Siegfried!" a female knight student called.

"This is bad, a large herd of demons is coming right this way!" her companion explained.

"How many?" Siegfried asks.

"There's at least a hundred of them!" the student knight answered, shocking the student knights that belittled Shin's magician party.

"Big Brother Sieg," Shin calls, getting Siegfried's attention. "Let me handle this one," he straightforwardly answered.

"Yeah, I suppose you should take care of this one," Siegfried agrees, scaring Sizilien.

"W-w-wait! By himself!?" she protested.

"Don't worry. If anything, this is something that we can leave to Shin or even Chin at the moment," Siegfried replies.

"Alright everyone! Stand aside and get behind Shin! We'll only get in his way!" Christina orders.

Suddenly, after the students both knights and magicians take cover under Christina's command to give Shin his space, a large pack of demon wolves comes running frantically from the darkest parts of the forest to escape the clutches of a hungry rabid demon tiger.

"A demon tiger! Here!?" Kreis exclaimed out of fear.

"That has to be at the catastrophic level, right?" Miranda retorts anxiously.

"Which means, those demons must be running away from it!" Neun concludes.

"Sorry that I have to do this, but I'm a little and need to blow off some steam," Shin confesses as he summons spheres of pale blue fire and slowly concentrates and increases their firepower. "Now, perish!" he exclaims as he directs his pale blue fire blast towards the herds of demon wolves and the demon tiger and sends them all into oblivion, leaving nothing but an altered landscape in the dense dark forest.

"That feels better!" Shin sighs loudly as he stretches his arms out after venting out his stress.

"This is...the power of Shin Wolford…!?" Kreis gasped as he was left dumbfounded.

"This is the power of the wise man' grandson...and our new hero!?" Neun realizes from the power Shin wielded and the entire landscape of the dark forest that he's destroyed and altered.

"Shin, are you hurt?" Sizilien asks.

"Yes, I am, thank you Sizilien," Shin assures.

"E-excuse me, Shin Wolford?" Miranda interrupts in the middle of their moment. "I'm, um, very sorry for everything rude I've said till now, even about your brother if he's like any match for you as well," she nervously apologizes, confusing Shin. "Wolford, I envy for being so blessed in so many ways that I just don't want to be outdone by you or your brother," she admits.

'She was envious, that's all,' Shin thought.

"But being able to see your power, I finally realized how different our levels are," Miranda commends, surprising Shin with her honesty.

"Shin! Tell that girl in front of you to move aside, now!" Chin suddenly replies with "Telepathic Voice."

"Why–" "Just do it!" Chin orders him.

At his request, Shin grabs both Sizilien and Miranda by their waists without any explanation or warning, which shocked and surprised both of them embarrassingly, before throttling away with his "Jet Boots" off the ground swiftly while carrying both of them. After that, a huge demon lion blasts through the trees devastatingly strong that it could've killed all of them on the spot if not for Chin's quick warning.

"A lion demon!?" Kreis exclaims from its sudden appearance and backs away.

However, from the looks of the demon lion, it seems afraid of something nearby slowly coming out of the forest area from where it was chased out. There came out a gigantic crystal-like ice creature, lined with magic pulses and energy throughout its body as if it were some kind of ice golem.

"Wha-what is that thing!?" Neun hysterically points out as he lost his balance out of fear.

The demon lion turns its attention towards the ice monster and attempts to show its power with an intimidating roar, only to be punched hard right under its jaw and flipped up with its back fallen flat on the altered landscape.

"Wha-why is that thing killing that demon?" Kent asks out of fear and curiosity.

"Yahallo! Everyone!" Alice greets cheerfully behind Shin and the group, startling them with her appearance.

"A-Alice!? Why are–"

"Oh Shin! Fancy bumping into you," Yuri seductively comments, making Shin embarrassed and Sizilien jealous.

Later, Lyn, Thor, Alfred, and other student knights along with their advisor, show up with Shin's team.

"Yo Alfred! It's been a long while. Why are you guys here?" Siegfried wonders.

"Siegfried? Nice seeing you here, but as you can see, I have to wait on a student that is currently busy," Alfred explains.

"Um, which student?" Siegfried asks, with Alfred answering him as he points towards the ice-clad creature.

"W-wa-wait! Who is that!?" Siegfried asks in astonishment.

The ice behemoth then grabs the demon lion by its stomach with its two giant claws then carries it over its head before slamming the demon lion to the ground on its back.

"The creature is not a creature. It is–"

"Chin! Go Chin! Kick its ass!" Maria cheers loudly, shocking the student knights on Shin's team from her cheering to the ice behemoth.

"N-no way, that is Chin!?" Miranda denies.

"It is, I witnessed him use this same magic to fight a demonoid with Shin," Sizilien explains, shocking Miranda and the other student knights.

"I know your magics are way too advanced, but to think it is at that kind of level," Christina commended nervously.

With a finishing blow, the ice behemoth morphs its left claw into a huge spiked peg and slams its diamond-pointed tip on the demon lion's head, smashing its heads and its contents into a pile of minced flesh, killing it instantly. As it retracts its sharp weapons, the behemoth slowly dissipates into sparkling crystal dust under the sun, revealing Chin who remains conscious as he stretches his wrist from the effects of stiffening of his own magic ice spell before regrouping with Shin and their teams.

"Hehe, sorry for the rough appearance guys," Chin apologized lightly while scratching his hind temple out of nervousness.

"Th-this is the power of the Chin Bowen," Kreis muttered loudly before being pushed out of the way by a running Maria.

"Chin! You're the best! That was amazing!" Maria praised childishly, embarrassing Chin.

"Were you hurt anywhere Maria?" Chin asks.

"Nah, you kidding? There are guys around that can do the protecting, so it's cool," Maria shrewdly points out.

"Ooooh, is that really so?" Chin wonders while exuding a cold-blooded aura towards the male student knights in Shin's team.

"Well, that sure was a grand entrance, Chin," August deadpans.

"Geez, it cannot be helped at the time, cousin," Chin protests.

"Okay okay, just be discreet next time to flaunt your strength to guys that may have taken a liking to someone you know," August shrewdly replies.

"Aug, don't make me do something that both of us will regret," Chin blatantly replies, making everyone from both teams explode in laughter.

"U-um, your name is Chin correct?" Miranda asks nervously.

"Ah yes, I am. Thank you for watching over Maria," Chin thanks with a bow.

"Oh no, I am undeserving of your thanks, after all the unpleasantries I've done and said about your brother and your girlfriends," Miranda apologizes while unknowingly embarrassing the Shin, Chin, Maria and Sizilien from her remark.

"Gyah–don't just carelessly say such things so casually!" the blushing Maria protests with embarrassment while waving her hand frantically and carelessly slapping Chin's cheek in the process out of nervousness.

"But, are you not in that kind of relationship?" Miranda asks curiously.

"B-b-but, well, why don't you try asking those two back too!" Maria points to the dense "couple" back there, making both Shin and Sizilien look away from each other out of embarrassment.

"W-w-wait, does that mean…?" Kreis questions with a cold shoulder.

"No way, it can't be," Neun fearfully denies because of his admiration for Sizilien and her kindness.

"Hahaha, they were supposed to knock them off their high horses," Siegfried comments.

"But I guess that's not the only thing knocked over," Christina adds.

-To be continued-

* * *

A/N: Telepathic Voice is a communication spell that enables the user to send their thoughts, but not memories, to the desired receiver located using search magic.

Ice Behemoth Shell is an ice spell that encases the user in layers of ice to form strong durable armor for the wearer. It nullifies fire magic with its low temperature aura and can be morphed into any form of armor the wearer desires. It is the second form of Chin's "Iceman" transformation spell.

Iceman is an ice spell that enables the caster to turn his/her body into cold, translucent, ice. It makes the caster immune to fire magic with the cold aura it exudes and can inflict frostbiting towards an opponent through any means of physical contact.

Thank you guys for reading, and I apologize for the unannounced hiatus. Got busy with school and other hobbies, but now I'm back to writing. Thank you for enjoying your time with me. God bless! XD


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